Tickets for next month’s Belgian Grand Prix have already sold out with over 250,000 people expected during the weekend, promoter Andre Maes has revealed.
The race at the famed Spa-Francorchamps circuit is already seen as a must-visit for Formula 1 fans but the Grand Prix is also enjoying higher attendance figures as its proximity to Holland makes it the home race for Max Verstappen and his legion of fans who come across the border.
Add to that this year the arrival of Stoffel Vandoorne, the first local driver since Jerome D’Ambrosio in 2011, and the lack of a race in Germany and Spa has become the hottest ticket in F1.
“It’s correct that all the grandstand seats are sold out. Not just for Sunday, but for the entire weekend,” Maes told Motorsport.com.
“At the request of the authorities and for security reasons, we are forced to limit the amount of tickets sold. This number we have practically already reached, with over 260,000 spectators likely across the three days.”
Though all three factors mentioned have contributed to the increased demand, Maes admitted: “The Max Verstappen effect continues to be a reality. It’s far more important for us than the disappearance of the German Grand Prix.”
There are a number of parallels between the Belgian Grand Prix and Silverstone, which recently activated a break clause to end their current F1 contract after 2019. Both are among the best-attended races on the calendar but also run at a loss due to the high fee demanded, meaning their futures are unsustainable.
The current contract with the commercial rights holder runs through 2018 at Spa and it will be interesting to see how Liberty Media, who have made it clear they want a British race, will negotiate with the Belgian promoters over its future with maintaining the historic European venues a key part of CEO Chase Carey’s vision for the sport.
