Brembo’s traditional analysis of a circuit’s braking demands takes on even greater importance in Formula 1’s 2026 era. Braking, throttle lift and lift-and-coast phases have become some of the key moments in which the new-generation cars can recover electrical energy, which is then deployed along the long straights or during overtaking and defensive manoeuvres.
At Spa-Francorchamps, where energy deployment is expected to be one of the defining themes of the weekend, efficiency under braking will be almost as important as outright acceleration performance.
Spa is not especially demanding on the brakes
Spa-Francorchamps is not considered one of the toughest circuits for the braking system. According to Brembo, the Belgian track receives a difficulty rating of 3 out of 5.
Over a lap measuring more than seven kilometres, drivers use the brakes only six times, for a combined total of less than 13 seconds. Three braking zones are classified as Hard, two as Medium and one as Light.
The circuit’s long full-throttle sections allow the brakes to cool effectively, preventing the overheating typically seen on street circuits. However, the few genuinely demanding braking zones must still deliver maximum stopping power, stability and, perhaps most importantly in 2026, efficient energy regeneration.
La Source: the most demanding braking zone
The heaviest braking point on the circuit is the La Source hairpin.
The cars arrive at the opening corner at approximately 285 km/h before slowing to just 86 km/h in 3.32 seconds over a distance of 145 metres. Drivers apply around 111 kilograms of force to the brake pedal while experiencing a peak deceleration of 3.6g, with braking power reaching 1,367 kW.
La Source immediately precedes the steep climb through Eau Rouge, Raidillon and onto the Kemmel Straight, one of the sections of the circuit where energy demand is at its highest. Arriving at Turn 1 with a well-managed battery and recovering as much energy as possible under braking therefore becomes essential to sustain deployment all the way up the hill.
Elevation changes add another challenge
Spa’s dramatic elevation profile makes the challenge even more complex.
From the start-finish line, the cars climb to around 54 metres above the starting elevation before descending almost 100 metres to the lowest point on the circuit. In theory, the potential energy gained on the climb should be balanced by the energy recovered during the descent.
In reality, however, the uphill section coincides with a prolonged full-throttle phase, during which more than 100 horsepower can be consumed simply to overcome gravity. That energy is lost precisely when both the internal combustion engine and the electrical system are already under maximum demand. The downhill sections, meanwhile, include several technical corners where the additional speed cannot be fully exploited.
Why the second sector could decide the weekend
In 2026, this imbalance becomes a major performance factor. The new Formula 1 cars rely much more heavily on electrical energy, and Spa is one of the circuits where the risk of exhausting deployment is particularly high.
As a result, the second sector, filled with flowing corners and short deceleration zones, becomes the primary opportunity to recover energy and prepare the battery for the final part of the lap.
Less aggressive braking than in 2025
The 2026 cars also brake less aggressively than last year’s machines.
At Turn 18, for example, the cars now lose 212 km/h compared to 219 km/h in 2025, but they take around seven-tenths of a second longer to complete the deceleration. The stopping distance has increased by approximately 40 metres, while peak deceleration has fallen from 4.7g to 3.3g. Brake pedal force has also dropped significantly, from 160 kilograms to 96 kilograms.
The cars are therefore less aggressive during the initial phase of braking, but the longer time spent decelerating could provide a valuable window for managing electrical energy recovery. The challenge for engineers and drivers will be finding the ideal balance between mechanical braking, car stability and energy regeneration without compromising corner entry performance.
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