Five Things We Learned from the Belgian GP

Spa-Francorchamps once again showed why it remains one of the great classics on the VFC calendar. Tom Oldenmenger made perfect use of the absence of his biggest title rival, Patrik Hanko confirmed his impressive debut, and Alex Woitala delivered one of the weekend’s most remarkable performances despite difficult circumstances. At the same time, the crisis surrounding two traditional teams reached a new low.

Tom Oldenmenger – Opportunity Taken

With Sven Schubert absent from the Belgian GP, Tom Oldenmenger was presented with a golden opportunity to extend his lead in the Drivers’ Championship. And the Dutchman took full advantage.

Oldenmenger claimed his second win of the season at Spa, even though it did not always look as though victory would come his way. The VEGA driver extended his first stint unusually long, which temporarily dropped him back to fourth place.

The decisive factor was the difference in tyre strategy. His direct rivals, Benjamin Gielczynski and Heiko Kolvenbach, still had to use their second mandatory tyre compound, while both VEGA drivers had already completed that requirement. Once the competition made their final necessary stops, Oldenmenger was promoted back to the front.

From that point onwards, the victory was never seriously under threat. The Dutchman brought the race home in controlled fashion and took the maximum number of points from a weekend in which his biggest championship rival was not even on the grid.

Whether this already represents a small turning point in the title fight remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that Oldenmenger used the opportunity at Spa perfectly.

Patrik Hanko – Second Race, Second Podium

At the Austrian GP, Patrik Hanko made his VFC debut for VEGA. In Spa, the Slovak was called upon once again to replace Mirco Mancini – and once again he proved that his strong showing at the Blue Horns Ring was no coincidence.

Hanko showed exceptional qualifying pace once more. Only Benjamin Gielczynski was faster, which placed the VEGA driver on the front row.

At the start, Hanko used his tyre advantage to take the lead. However, he pitted as early as Lap 6 and picked up a drive-through penalty in the process. At that stage, his race appeared to have gone badly off course.

The Safety Car periods and the different tyre strategies, however, brought Hanko back into contention. The Slovak worked his way forward again and eventually finished his second VFC race with another podium result.

Two starts, two podiums – an impressive record.

Rumours in the paddock already suggest that Hanko is still searching for a seat for 2027. Performances like these will certainly have put his name firmly on the driver market.

Alex Woitala – The Quiet Hero

The fact that Alex Woitala even made it onto the grid in Belgium was far from guaranteed.

During the summer break, the Munich driver suffered a hernia. Initially, a much longer recovery period was expected. Woitala, however, was determined not to miss the race at what is arguably his absolute favourite circuit and returned to the cockpit at Spa.

The decision paid off.

Woitala drove a typically understated race – calm, controlled, and without unnecessary risks. And for once, he was also spared the bad luck that has followed him so often throughout his VFC career.

At the finish, he secured a strong fourth place. Together with Benjamin Gielczynski’s third-place finish, Woitala scored valuable points for Seawolf NetRace Motorsport in the battle for third place in the Teams’ Championship.

It was not a race defined by spectacular overtakes. That is exactly why Woitala’s performance was so valuable: he was there when his team needed him and brought home a strong result.

Falcon and Blue Horns – The Crisis Reaches a New Low

Falcon Simracing and Blue Horns Racing have already featured several times in this column during the current season. At Spa, the crisis surrounding both teams reached its lowest point so far.

Neither Falcon nor Blue Horns took part in the Belgian GP.

For two of the most established teams in the VFC paddock, that is a remarkable development – and an unprecedented situation in this form. Both teams had already endured difficult months on the sporting side, but missing an entire race weekend gives the situation an entirely new dimension.

The hope now is that both teams will return to the grid for the next race in Monza.

If the situation continues, however, the league management may also have to take a closer look with the 2027 season in mind. Sporting struggles are one thing, but reliability and commitment are also basic requirements for a long-term place in the VFC.

Spa could therefore prove to be a turning point – one way or another.

Spa-Francorchamps – The Ultimate Driver’s Circuit

Spa-Francorchamps is widely regarded as one of the ultimate driver’s circuits in motorsport – and for good reason.

Corner names such as Eau Rouge, Les Combes, Pouhon, and Blanchimont are enough to excite any motorsport fan. The Belgian classic also holds a special place in the VFC paddock and remains one of the favourite circuits for many drivers on the grid.

But Spa also has its challenges.

Few circuits produce as much variation in the VFC. Significant differences in lap times were already visible in qualifying, and the race repeatedly produced tense and difficult situations. Small mistakes are punished more quickly and more severely here than at many other circuits.

That is exactly what makes Spa so special.

The circuit demands courage, precision, confidence in the car, and absolute concentration – lap after lap.

The Belgian GP once again proved that Spa-Francorchamps remains one of the biggest challenges on the VFC calendar.