Few races blend history, speed and unpredictability quite like the Belgian Grand Prix. First held in 1925, the event quickly became a cornerstone of European motor racing, set in the forests and rolling hills of the Ardennes. The original Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, built in 1921, was created to host Grand Prix racing and soon earned a reputation as one of the fastest and most daunting tracks in the world.
Spa’s character is defined by elevation change, sweeping corners and famously unpredictable weather. It is not uncommon for one part of the circuit to be dry while another is soaked in rain. For drivers, that challenge has always been part of the allure. The Belgian Grand Prix has been designated the European Grand Prix on six occasions and remains one of the most revered rounds on the Formula One calendar.
What To Know?
- Michael Schumacher holds the record for most Belgian Grand Prix wins with six victories at Spa-Francorchamps.
- Ayrton Senna won the race five times, including four consecutive victories from 1988 to 1991.
- Jim Clark claimed four Belgian Grand Prix wins in five years between 1962 and 1965.
- The 2021 race is the shortest in F1 history, lasting just over three minutes due to extreme weather conditions.
List of Every Belgian Grand Prix Winner
Belgian Grand Prix Winner: 1950 to 1960
When Formula One began in 1950, Juan Manuel Fangio claimed victory at Spa for Alfa Romeo. Giuseppe Farina and Alberto Ascari followed, with Ascari taking back-to-back wins in 1952 and 1953 for Ferrari.
Fangio returned to the top step in 1954 and 1955, this time with Maserati and Mercedes. The high-speed nature of old Spa rewarded bravery and mechanical sympathy in equal measure. By 1960, Jack Brabham’s win for Cooper signalled the growing dominance of rear-engined cars on one of the sport’s most fearsome circuits.
Belgian Grand Prix Winners: 1961 to 1970
The 1960s belonged in large part to Jim Clark. He won four times in five years, from 1962 to 1965, mastering the daunting 14-kilometre layout with astonishing finesse. His victories often came by commanding margins, underlining his comfort at high speed.
Dan Gurney, Bruce McLaren and Pedro Rodriguez also triumphed before the original Spa configuration was deemed too dangerous for modern Formula One. After 1970, the Belgian Grand Prix moved between Nivelles and Zolder as safety concerns reshaped the sport.
Belgian Grand Prix Winners: 1970s and early 1980s
Emerson Fittipaldi, Jackie Stewart and Niki Lauda were among the winners during this transitional period. Races at Zolder and Nivelles produced close finishes, including Fittipaldi’s narrow 1974 victory for McLaren.
In 1983, Formula One returned to a shortened and modernised Spa-Francorchamps. Alain Prost won that first race back, beginning a new chapter for the Belgian Grand Prix on a safer but still spectacular layout.
Belgian Grand Prix Winners: 1985 to 2002
Few drivers are as closely linked with Spa as Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Senna won five times in Belgium, showcasing his brilliance in mixed conditions and high-speed bravery.
Schumacher claimed his first Formula One victory at Spa in 1992 and went on to win there six times in total. His 1995 triumph from 16th on the grid remains one of the standout wet-weather drives in the circuit’s history.
The Ardennes also delivered drama, notably the chaotic 1998 race won by Damon Hill for Jordan after a multi-car collision at the start in heavy rain.
Belgian Grand Prix Winners: 2003 to Today
Kimi Räikkönen earned the nickname King of Spa with four victories, combining commitment through Eau Rouge with clinical racecraft. Felipe Massa, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel each added Belgian wins during an intensely competitive period.
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Hamilton’s successes with Mercedes, including victories in 2015, 2017, 2020 and 2024, highlighted both consistency and adaptability in variable conditions. Max Verstappen dominated the early 2020s editions, winning in 2021, 2022 and 2023, the latter two achieved with commanding pace through the field.
The 2021 race is the shortest in F1 history, lasting just over three minutes due to extreme weather conditions.
In 2025, Oscar Piastri secured victory for McLaren, adding a new name to the distinguished list of Spa winners and backing the circuit’s status as a proving ground for the very best.
A circuit drivers revere
From Fangio and Clark to Senna, Schumacher and Verstappen, the Belgian Grand Prix has consistently rewarded courage and precision. The ever-changing weather, sweeping corners and dramatic elevation shifts make Spa-Francorchamps a circuit where reputations are forged.
To win in Belgium is to conquer one of Formula One’s greatest challenges. It remains a race that drivers circle on the calendar, and one that fans hold close to the heart of the sport.
More F1 Race Winners
From Adelaide to Silverstone to Monza and Spa, we chart the full story of every F1 winner from each event’s first race to the last.
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