The magic of a Circuit which is absolutely unique
La Source, Eau Rouge, Raidillon, Pouhon, and Blanchimont are some of the names that resonate in the hearts of all motorsport enthusiasts across the entire world. Of course these names are immediately associated with the most beautiful Circuit in the world: the Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps.
Lewis Hamilton, world triple champion in Formula 1 expressed his opinion on this topic one day: "Spa is one of the historic circuits that I used to adore on television when I was younger. It’s also a magnifent place, a circuit where you can really push the F1 cars to their limit. Speeding past Eau Rouge, Pouhon or Blanchimont gives you incredible thrills. Your whole body is at its limit and you keep pushing so you can go even faster."
Spa-Francorchamps is one of those rare historic circuits which have marked the history of motorsport, like Monaco, Silverstone, Monza and Suzuka.
Located at the heart of the Ardennes forest, it benefits from an environment which is unique in the world and its rugged uneven terrain has earned it the nickname of the Tobogan of the Ardennes. Sébastien Vettel, quadruple world champion has said on this topic that: “This is a place which offers all sorts of bends and possible manoeuvres. The difference in altitude is truly enormous and you have the impression of being in a roller coaster”. It should be said that no less than 100 metres of drop separates the top of Combes and the Courbe Paul Frère (the former Stavelot turn).
When we speak of this track, a bend, or even more so a series of bends immediately springs to mind: the Raidillon of the Eau Rouge, or Eau Rouge as the English call it. This legendary place was organised for the 1939 season with the aim of making the Circuit even more fast. It is characterised by a very impressive ramp which follows the descent of the racing cars after the hairpin turn of La Source. The drivers find themselves faced with a wall and a succession of turns, left, right, left, without being able to see the summit. The most amazing thing is that the Formula 1 drivers negotiate the challenge of this series of turns without lifting their feet off the accelerator; they arrive there doing over 310 km/hr and find themselves at the summit at more than 300 km/hr before attacking the long straight line of Kemmel.
Over the course of its very long history, the Circuit has adapted itself to the development of motorsports in order to respond to the multiple safty demands and standards imposed by the federations responsible (today the FIA), without losing its own very particular soul as a Circuit, both for drivers and mechanics.
But even beyond its history, Spa-Francorchamps has also become an economic and tourist centre of attraction for the whole region, and does not lack either ambitions or projects to make this jewel glisten even brighter both in Belgium and abroad...
So long live the most beautiful Circuit in the world!
