F1
Get clued up on the Spa circuit and become the fount of all knowledge ahead of the Belgian GP.
CIRCUIT GUIDE: Spa-Francorchamps LOCATION: The Ardennes, Belgium KNOWN FOR: F1, GT, Endurance, Junior Formulae, club racing TYPE: Permanent Circuit
THE FORM Spa-Francorchamps has changed many times over the years but the one constant is that it remains a favourite among drivers. While Eau Rouge and Blanchimont aren’t quite as fearsome as once they were, corners such as the now mighty Pouhon ensure Spa still has teeth.
The track winds through 7km of undulating forest and provides a stern test rewarding the brave – and the intelligent. Spa’s reputation is built on speed and for Formula One drivers taking the fearsome Eau Rouge-Raidillon combination flat out, it features the longest full-throttle section of any track on the current F1 calendar with a 20-second blast from the La Source hairpin to the Les Combes braking zone at the end of the Kemmel Straight.
Despite this, and the other full-throttle stretch ending at the new Bus Stop chicane, Spa is more of a technical challenge than its high-speed reputation suggests. It’s the twisting middle sector where fast laps are crafted. There’s no uniformity in the turns, with each one asking different questions of downforce and traction.
Then there’s the weather: whatever the time of year, rain is a frequent visitor to this part of Belgium, which can make for interesting racing – particularly when the length of lap and the elevation changes give rise to the wet-dry track phenomenon, with rain falling on some parts of the circuit but not on others.
THE LOCATION: Definitely not one for spectators attracted to the glamour of motor sport, Spa is a haven for fans who prefer Mercedes to Manolos. It’s often muddy and usually wet, but it’s also very possibly the best racing circuit in the world, and so the audience tends to be loyal and prepared to put up with whatever the Ardennes throws at them. And Spa does reward that: unlike most circuits, the best views aren’t restricted to the lucky few with elite grandstand access. For anyone prepared to hike a few miles, Spa has some terrific vantage points.
DID YOU KNOW: The Eau Rouge stream, which flows beneath the Eau Rouge chicane, marks an ancient border between nations and empires. At the height of the Roman Empire, it marked the boundary between the provinces of Cologne and Tongeren. It was also the border between the Netherlands and Prussia (1815-1839) and, more recently still, between Belgium and Prussia (1839-1919). When racing first started at Spa in the 1920s the original circuit included a hairpin bend where the Eau-Rouge Raidillon complex now stands. It was called Virage de l'Ancienne Douane – so named after the customs post that had stood there.
