Sports
Belgian GP agrees new F1 rotational deal until 2031
The Belgian Grand Prix has secured a new contract that will keep it on the Formula 1 calendar for four out of six years from 2026-2031.
It is the first deal of this type signed by F1, which is seeking to find ways of accommodating new events in an already crowded calendar.
The contract dictates that the historic Spa-Francorchamps circuit will host races in 2026, 2027, 2029 and 2031.
However, in 2028 and 2030 Belgium will be replaced by another race.
The details of which other venues will rotate with Spa are yet to be confirmed.
Barcelona, in Spain, and Imola, in Italy, both want to keep their races, even though they are out of contract after this year.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is being replaced as the venue of the Spanish Grand Prix by a new circuit in Madrid from next season.
The Dutch Grand Prix’s deal ends after 2026 but organisers in the Netherlands may want to revive it at some point, and F1 is also exploring ways of returning the French and German races to the calendar.
France is the birthplace of motorsport, while Germany is also one of the oldest venues, but both have become unviable in recent seasons.
France returned to the schedule in 2018 but fell off the calendar again after 2022, while Germany has not hosted a race since 2019.
A return of the Turkish Grand Prix, last held in 2021 after returning to the calendar in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, is also an option.
Rotation of European races also gives F1 an option to add new races outside the sport’s European heartland, which currently accounts for about one third of the calendar.
F1 is working on a race in Rwanda, in central Africa, on a new circuit being built outside the capital Kigali, which will not happen before 2028 at the earliest.
Thailand is also interested in a race, but that would likely not be before 2030. The prospects of a return of South Korea to the calendar, which had been explored in both Seoul and Busan, are diminishing.
F1 president Stefano Domenicali said: “The Belgian Grand Prix was one of the races that made up our maiden championship in 1950, so as we kick off our 75th anniversary year it is fitting that we can share the news of this important extension.
“Spa-Francorchamps is rightly lauded by drivers and fans alike as one of the finest race tracks in the world and it has played host to some incredible moments over its many seasons in Formula 1.
“In recent years it has undergone significant work to improve the facility and overall fan experience, and I would like to pay tribute to the promoter and the Government of Wallonia for their dedication and passionate support for F1 in Belgium.”
Last year brought F1’s longest ever season, at 24 races, a schedule that continues this year, which starts in Australia on 14-16 March.
The team’s contracts with F1 dictate a maximum of 25 races a year.
Those deals have to be renegotiated for the period starting in 2026, F1’s next regulatory period, but there is widespread agreement that the sport is already at the upper limit of what is possible in terms of the calendar, and the maximum number of races is not expected to change in the new contracts.
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 12-game winning streak came to an end on Sunday night with a 108-93 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
The Cavaliers have risen to top of the eastern conference thanks to a recent run including wins against rivals Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks.
But Andrew Nembhard, who top scored with 19 points, and Pascal Siakam, who hit 18 points, combined to help the Pacers to victory.
It was the Cavaliers’ first defeat since 8 December and just their fifth from 38 matches this season.
“There was nothing to lose, this is the best team in the league right now,” said Nembhard.
“We had to play hard, play together, and put some more physicality in the game on the defensive side of the ball, and play off of that.”
The Cavaliers, who are 40.3% from three pointers this season, made just 11 (26.8%) of 41 against the Pacers.
Reflecting on the loss, Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said: “What disappointed me was our first half was phenomenal, defensively, and then the second half, we fell off. We couldn’t sustain our defence.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas believes his Australian Open first-round exit was “karma” after he withdrew from playing doubles alongside his brother to focus on singles.
The Greek, runner-up in Melbourne in 2023, lost 7-5 6-3 2-6 6-4 to American Alex Michelsen on the second day’s play.
The 11th seed had been due to play doubles with his brother, Petros, but withdrew before the tournament began to protect his singles chances.
“It’s quite ironic. My whole [idea] was to try to go deep. I knew the first thing I had to consider was not playing doubles,” Tsitsipas, 26, said.
“The whole purpose was just to save up on some energy and be fresher hopefully in the deeper draw of the tournament.
“I guess karma hit me. I was not able to deliver or play the way I was hoping to at this year’s event.”
Tsitsipas has long been tipped as a future Grand Slam champion, having reached the Melbourne showpiece two years ago and the French Open final in 2021, losing both to Novak Djokovic.
However, he lost in the first round at last year’s US Open and in the second round at Wimbledon.
“The most frustrating part about losing in the first round of a Grand Slam is that you have way too much time to recover,” Tsitsipas added.
“It just sucks that I’ll be hanging around for quite a while now before my next tournament comes in.”
Nottingham Forest “deserve” to be treated as title contenders before Liverpool’s trip to the City Ground, says Arne Slot.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are the only team to have beaten Liverpool in the Premier League this season following their 1-0 win at Anfield in September.
Table-topping Liverpool travel to the City Ground on Tuesday (20:00 GMT) for the reverse fixture with Forest in third place, six points behind.
After surviving relegation last season, Forest have lost just four times in 20 league matches this season.
“I’ve always said you can judge the table best halfway through the season,” said Liverpool boss Slot.
“That moment is there now, so if Forest is then up there with us, with Arsenal, Chelsea and [Manchester] City and all the others, then they definitely are a team that is in competition with us and with the other teams.
“They deserve to be treated like this if you look at the way they play and if you look at their results.”
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