Spa GP records smaller loss amid pandemic

The corona crisis actually helped Spa-Francorchamps to minimise its losses in 2020.

Agence Belga news agency and the LN24 broadcaster report that the Belgian GP lost EUR 1.5 million this year - down from almost 6 million in 2019.

"One of the reasons is that Formula 1 contributed to the organisational costs," explained the famous circuit’s boss Vanessa Maes.

"We negotiated with them and agreed to organise a grand prix this year, but then asked that they help us because ticketing is our only source of income," she added, referring to the fact that spectators were barred from attending amid the pandemic.

Spa has a 29 August race date on F1’s 2021 calendar.

"We have opened up ticketing on our site," Maes revealed.

"We have already noticed that 60 percent of our (2020) customers postponed their ticket for the 2021 race compared to 40 percent who wanted reimbursement.

"The circumstances of this particular year have also had the consequence that the contract with Liberty Media, which ran until 2021, has been extended by one year and thus still applies for 2022," she added.