Formula 1 Moet & Chandon Belgian Grand Prix
Location: Francorchamps, Belgium
Course: Circuit de Spa Francorchamps
Course Length: 7.00 km
Laps: 44
Belgian Grand Prix Race Preview
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc grabbed his first win of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the British Grand Prix. He led the first 25 laps of the race after starting on the outside of the front row before Kimi Antonelli got by to retake the point. Leclerc regained the lead while Antonelli's woes continued, suffering a wheel shield failure just as he was catching the Ferrari to move back to the front, though. In the end, Ferrari walked away with their second race win of the season, and Antonelli had to be satisfied with preventing further damage to his points lead by winning Saturday's sprint.
This week all attention focuses on Belgium and the historic Circuit de Spa Francorchamps. McLaren's Oscar Piastri won the race last season, and the massive track is the favorite of many in the paddock. Its extreme elevation changes coupled with several medium- to high-speed corners test car and driver alike, and the changeable weather could also throw a curve ball into the mix. This week will make the 63rd time Formula 1 has tackled this track in one of its many evolving configurations, but the challenge and character remain as strong as ever. Mercedes and Antonelli will be keen to get a clean weekend under their belts with the Italian driver's championship lead dwindling to just 25 points over teammate George Russell and 32 to Lewis Hamilton. Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull will continue their efforts to get on level terms, though.
Key Stats at Circuit de Spa Francorchamps
- Races: 62
- Winners from pole: 21
- Winners from top-5 starters: 51
- Winners from top-10 starters: 59
- Fastest Race: 241.345 kph
Previous 10 Spa Francorchamps Winners
2025 - Oscar Piastri
2024 - Lewis Hamilton
2023 - Max Verstappen
2022 - Max Verstappen
2021 - Max Verstappen
2020 - Lewis Hamilton
2019 - Charles Leclerc
2018 - Sebastian Vettel
2017 - Lewis Hamilton
2016 - Nico Rosberg
Circuit Spa Francorchamps is one of Formula 1's classic venues. Originally built in 1921 using public roads, the circuit quickly earned a reputation as a long, daunting, and demanding track. The version used today is a modern shortened version of the original, but it is still one of the longest courses on the schedule. The track's elevation changes, blind corners, and mix of high-speed and technical sections demand the best from both car and driver, which is why a victory at Spa has always carried extra weight. One of the track's defining challenges is its climate, with races often shaped by rain or changing conditions throughout the weekend, and teams need to be on their toes should conditions change. Car setups will be a compromise to accommodate the variety of corners and long straights, and the emphasis will be on tire management. Spa's high-speed corners put extra strain on tires, and the track's long lap can punish those who decide to stay out even a lap too long.
RotoWire Formula 1 DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Belgian Grand Prix
Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Kimi Antonelli - $12,800
George Russell - $12,400
Lewis Hamilton - $11,800
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Max Verstappen - $10,400
Lando Norris - $9,200
Oscar Piastri - $8,200
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Liam Lawson - $6,400
Pierre Gasly - $5,800
Oliver Bearman - $5,000
DraftKings Constructor Values
Mercedes - $14,500
Ferrari - $13,300
McLaren - $9,800
Optimal DraftKings Lineup for the Belgian Grand Prix
Captain – Lando Norris - $13,800
Liam Lawson - $6,400
Pierre Gasly - $5,800
Oliver Bearman - $5,000
Alex Albon - $3,800
Constructor- Mercedes - $14,500
With the difference between Mercedes teammates coming down to execution and luck in recent weeks, fantasy players may want to take the team versus choosing just one of the two drivers. In this scenario, that leaves plenty of room throughout the roster for team-leading drivers as well as Lando Norris as captain. The McLaren squad has been improving, but not as rapidly as some of the competition. That doesn't mean that they will continue to be behind, though. McLaren has consistently been fielding the third-best cars each week, and Norris was just off of the podium last time out at Great Britain. As upgrades continue to be applied, expect them to continue making inroads with more podium finishes in reach.
Liam Lawson has now scored points in seven of nine races this season. His most recent points finish was a sixth-place result in Great Britain that came from 10th on the grid to add a few more points to fantasy rosters. In fact, the only two races Lawson failed to equal or improve his starting position in a race were the two he failed to finish in the points. He has one prior Belgium start, which also was a points paying finish last season.
Pierre Gasly has quite a bit of experience at Spa with eight starts under his belt. He finished in the top 10 in six of those races including last season's 10th-place finish. Like Lawson, Gasly has also only failed to finish in the points in two races this season. Gasly presents another relatively reliable mid-pack option for fantasy rosters this week.
A bit further back sits Oliver Bearman. He has been opportunistic this season, picking up points at Melbourne, Shanghai, and Montreal. He has one prior Belgium start, which ended with an 11th-place finish last season. At Great Britain, he again just narrowly missed out on some points with a 12th-place finish on the lead lap. For his price, Bearman makes a good argument for inclusion in rosters this week at a track where attrition could be higher than normal.
Williams has had its share of struggles with this year's car, but that hasn't stopped Alex Albon from finishing in the top 10 twice in the first nine races. When they are able to have a clean race, Albon can execute and even outperform expectations. He also has six prior Belgium starts with three finishes of sixth or better including last season. While Williams can be somewhat of a gamble, if anything can be made from it, Albon is likely to be the driver doing it.
Finally, we've left enough room to grab Mercedes as constructor. With little to choose from between their two drivers, the more cautious move is to grab both via taking the team. The squad still has the car to beat and, when they have a clean race, both drivers should be expected to finish standing on the podium. There is no better team choice at this point in the season.
Formula 1 Betting Picks for the Belgian Grand Prix
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 7:00 PM ET Thursday
Winner - Kimi Antonelli +150
Podium Finish - Max Verstappen +175
Top-Four Finish - Lando Norris +330
Winning Constructor - Mercedes -175
We are starting to get some separation between the Mercedes drivers in odds for winning. However, despite his recent poor luck, Antonelli still appears to be the better option. The young driver was chasing down the leader in the last race before an unlikely failure forced him out of the battle. That shows that Antonelli is the quicker of the pairing, though. He finished 16th at Spa last season, but this is a driver with wins now under his belt and chasing the series championship. Antonelli is the top choice to win at Belgium this week.
As Ferrari and McLaren have been increasing the competitiveness of their cars, so has Red Bull. Max Verstappen struggled in the last race, but with a week to assess their trouble and add any new upgrades into the mix, his effort this week should be on more solid footing. Belgium is a driver's track that separates the greats from the rest, and Verstappen is one of the greats. He knows what he needs at this track to be as competitive as possible, and if the team can set up the car to his liking, this would be the week Verstappen can carry it further forward. He is a three-time Belgium winner who hasn't finished lower than fourth at the track since 2019. He should have an outside shot at adding another podium finish to his resume this week.
Even though the McLaren cars appear to be third best at the moment, Lando Norris continues knocking on the door for podium finishes. He finished fourth last time out at Great Britain and is likely to be ready to step in again at a track that can throw some unexpected excitement into the mix. Norris has two podium finishes this season, was close to another at Great Britain, and could be in line for one again this week should any unexpected issues strike Mercedes or Ferrari. With that train of thought, his odds of pulling off a top-four finish this week look like a lucrative play.
Odds for a Mercedes double-podium finish or as race winning car are super close this week. Since they are so close, it makes more sense to go with the Mercedes car to win. In doing so, fans get two chances at one of the drivers standing on the top step of the podium, whereas if they opt for the double-podium finish, they run a risk of losing money should something happen to either driver. Mercedes still has the equipment advantage over the rest of the field, so taking the team as winning constructor is a logical move.
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