The Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix held this Sunday will definitely not be the standout sporting event of the day. That same night the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina is also taking place, and even Fernando Alonso admits he is more worried about the match than about what might unfold at Spa.
The Belgian race will be the last one before Aston Martin’s upgrades arrive, so Alonso will have to endure one final ordeal, battling with his team-mate in the back of the field. At least Alonso remains optimistic about where they’ll stand from Hungary, if indeed he is the one entrusted with carrying the updates.
Alonso believes that with the upgrades it will be possible to get beyond Q1
Spa has historically not been a favorable track for Fernando Alonso in Formula 1. The Asturian has claimed victory there in F-3000 and in the WEC, but never in the premier category. A streak of misfortune that doesn’t seem likely to be broken in 2026. If anything, it looks set to continue as another difficult spell for Fernando Alonso.
Perhaps that explains why the Spaniard leans into irony: “The goal on Sunday will be to get home early to watch the World Cup final,” he said, adding that “the important thing is the game”. Indeed, the world will be focused on Spain versus Argentina, but in Formula 1 there isn’t much expectation that Aston Martin will do much to change the situation.
In fact, Belgium should be the last race before the upgrades arrive. The team has already confirmed that there will be developments at Hungaroring next week, and there are many hopes pinned on them. So much so that Alonso himself dares to predict that “reaching Q2 would be possible”.
The big question remains whether Alonso will be able to run those upgrades. Mike Krack, acting team principal of Aston Martin while Adrian Newey is away, asserted that it is still not certain they will have two versions of the upgrades ready for Hungary. If they don’t manage it, they will have to choose between Alonso and Lance Stroll, the son of the boss.
Alonso believes that “if we move into fighting for points, that will be an incredible leap. But we need to stay calm. There will be some circuits where we won’t gain much even with the upgrades, like Monza. It will be circuit by circuit, and when the best parts arrive, we must maximize them.” Only one week remains to start testing these ideas.
Interestingly, the last time a World Cup final coincided with a Formula 1 race Spain also played and Alonso again left without scoring. It was at Silverstone in 2010, following a controversial penalty for overtaking Robert Kubica that ultimately cost Alonso the points he needed to win the world championship.
Images | Aston Martin
