FIA Lets Straight‑Line Mode Run From La Source to Eau Rouge at Spa

Overview

• The FIA confirmed on Wednesday that Spa will use five straight‑line mode zones, including the new allowance down the run from La Source to Eau Rouge, and that movable wings must be closed before Raidillon with Overtake Mode available on the pit straight.
• Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso warned that deploying electric power on the long early run — from Turn 1 through Les Combes — can exhaust a lap’s usable battery and leave drivers “finito” for the rest of the lap.
• Teams face a tighter 50:50 split between internal combustion and battery use this season together with less usable deployment power, which increases the risk that using boost on one straight will eliminate it on others.
• Race action should see more overtaking opportunities on paper but also a pronounced ‘yo‑yo’ dynamic where some cars conserve charge and others push selectively, producing tactical bursts rather than continuous wheel‑to‑wheel racing.
• Squads will use Spa as a high‑stress test for recent upgrades and engine work ahead of Hungary, with setup and energy strategy choices now critical for both immediate pace and longer run performance.