Belgian GP director criticized for trip to Qatar.

      "You must accept accountability"

      A new controversy in Belgian politics has unexpectedly brought the future of the grand prix at Spa-Francorchamps back into the spotlight. Georges-Louis Bouchez, the president of the MR party and newly appointed vice-president of the Spa Grand Prix organization, skipped an important budget vote in the Federal Parliament on Thursday to attend the Formula 1 race in Qatar this weekend, as reported by RTBF. Bouchez stated he was in Doha "as vice-president of Spa Grand Prix to engage with F1 management and other promoters to secure future editions of the Grand Prix." MR parliamentary leader Benoit Piedboeuf supported him, saying, "He went to negotiate an important contract - we’ll see what the outcome is." However, opposition MPs criticized the trip as irresponsible, especially since Parliament was discussing the Prime Minister’s vital general policy speech. "When negotiating such unfair measures, one must take responsibility instead of going on a leisure trip to Qatar," remarked Patrick Pr vot (PS). "As a member of parliament, he should be here." This is the second instance where Bouchez’s trips to Qatar have drawn scrutiny. Last year, he went to Doha to seek investors for Francs Borains, the football club he oversees. This political upheaval comes less than a year after Formula 1 and Spa reached an agreement on a multi-year extension that reconfigures the Belgian GP to be an alternating event - the circuit will host the race only in 2026, 2027, 2029, and 2031. Spa-Francorchamps is currently striving to remain on a rapidly expanding calendar that increasingly favors lucrative street races.