Together with the old
Nürburgring,
the Belgian circuit of Spa-Francorchamps is one of the few old style
race tracks that still exists. And it belongs to the most beautiful
circuits in the world! Back in 1896 there where races in the Belgian
Ardennes and from 1902 they raced at a closed part of the public
road. This also was the first time a public road get closed for
motor racing! In this time they drove year by year at different lay
outs and the longest was 118,1 km (73.8 Miles)!
Both pictures are made at the same site. Above in 1962 and below in
2003.
In the early twenties the "La Meuse" newspaper
owner Jules de Thier and chairman of the Royal Automobile Club
Belgium Langlois van Ophem came at the idea to use the triangle
Francorchamps - Malmedy - Stavelot for motor racing. The circuit of
Spa-Francorchamps was born.
Click on the map for a lap at old Spa-Francorchamps
The first ever car race that should take place in
1921 at the 14,982 km (9.31 Miles) long circuit was cancelled
because there was a lack of competitors, just one registration! The
first race that took place was a motorcycle race in 1922.
In 1924 the first edition of the 24 hours of
Francorchamps took place one year after le Mans. And in 1925 the
first Grand Prix was held, the GP of Europe, which was won by
Antonio Ascari, the father of Alberto.
In 1939 a new spectacular new corner was
constructed with the goal to make Francorchamps one of the fastest
circuits in Europe, the
Raidillon. This horrendous fast and very
steep corner short cuts the old l'Ancienne Douane hairpin. Because the
Raidillon is "attached" to the Eau-Rouge, the lefthander which was
originally the connection to the l'Ancienne Douane,
many people call the
Raidillon the Eau-Rouge by mistake.
The famous Raidillon. Click at the picture for more information
about this great corner.
During World War Two there where no races at
Francorchamps. But from December 1944 to January 1945 the circuit
was in the middle of the Ardennes Offensive. The first post war
races have been held in 1947. The lay out was changed a little bit from
that year, because the intersection at Stavelot was cut off by a new fast
and slightly banked corner. The pre war trend to make Francorchamps
one of the fastest circuits was continued with this modification.
Since 1950 the Belgian Grand Prix was counting for
the Formula one World Championship which was introduced hat year.
Until 1970, except in 1957, it was held at the old Spa-Fracorchamps
circuit. But like so many times, beautiful circuits are also
dangerous circuits. The most exuberant parties in Formula one where
after the Belgian Grand Prix if everyone had survived the race at
Spa-Francorchamps! But after some grave incidents the track was
found too dangerous by the drivers and the Belgian Grand Prix was
moved to Zolder and
Nivelles.
The only chance for Spa-Francorchamps to get the
Belgian Grand Prix back was to build a new circuit. Different
proposal lay outs where designed. The principle was that the old
character of the track should be preserved, while the most dangerous
sections should disappear. They decided to build a new section
between Les Combes and Blanchimont which reduces the length to
almost 7 kilometres. The new circuit was opened in 1979 and in 1983
the Formula one came back to Spa-Francorchamps. The aim was to
alternate the Belgian Grand Prix between the Flemish Zolder and the
Walloon Spa-Francorchamps just like between Zolder and
Nivelles
in the early seventies. But since 1985 the Grand Prix stayed at the
new Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
