F1 Cuts Spa Qualifying Harvest Limit to 7MJ as 2026 Rules Strain 4.352-Mile Circuit
Updated
Updated · The Race · Jul 16
F1 Cuts Spa Qualifying Harvest Limit to 7MJ as 2026 Rules Strain 4.352-Mile Circuit
3 articles · Updated · The Race · Jul 16
Summary
Formula 1 lowered Spa qualifying energy harvesting to 7MJ from a planned 8MJ and set five straight modes to ease 2026 power-unit problems at the longest track on the calendar.
At 4.352 miles, Spa’s long, power-sensitive layout can drain a full battery in 11.5 seconds at maximum 350kW deployment, leaving much of sector two with little or no electrical boost.
Drivers said that could make corners such as Pouhon awkward and leave cars down on power—Fernando Alonso warned of less power than 2025 and even F2 in no-deployment phases, while Max Verstappen called Spa "painful."
The 7MJ cap should reduce lift-and-coast charging to as little as two seconds in qualifying, though pole pace is still expected to be up to four seconds slower than in 2025.
Race conditions will still allow 8.5MJ harvesting, pointing to heavier energy management and possible yo-yo racing on Sunday as F1 works toward longer-term engine changes before a potential 2031 V8 reset.