FIA Confirms Five Straight Mode Zones for Spa as Drivers Warn of Energy Woes

The FIA has confirmed five Straight Mode zones for this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix to combat super clipping, but drivers warn that energy management could dominate proceedings at the power-hungry Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Why it matters:

Spa's long straights and few heavy braking zones make it a brutal test for current power units. With energy recovery proving difficult, deployment strategy threatens to turn portions of the lap into a conservation exercise rather than flat-out racing.

The details:

• The FIA will allow simultaneous front and rear wing activation in five zones: the start/finish straight, the downhill run from La Source to Eau Rouge, the Kemmel straight toward Les Combes, the exit of Stavelot through Blanchimont, and the approach to the Bus Stop chicane.
• Energy concerns: Fernando Alonso called Spa "very thirsty on energy," warning that full deployment early in the lap leaves nothing for later sections. He noted that with deployment cut, the cars run with less power than last year and even below F2 levels.
• McLaren team principal Andrea Stella echoed those worries, citing feedback from Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
• Verstappen's outlook: Max Verstappen, still smarting from a Silverstone DNF caused by what he called a "super dangerous" rear wing, admitted Spa could be "trickier" with energy limits. He will run his special Orange Lion helmet for the Belgian crowd.

What's next:

The expanded Straight Mode zones will face an immediate test to see if they preserve Spa's high-speed spectacle. Verstappen will be eager to bounce back from Silverstone, though energy constraints could scramble the order regardless of underlying car performance.