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The Belgian Grand Prix rolls into Spa-Francorchamps at the beginning of September. Renée Cordes sneaks a peek at one of the world’s most famous car races
Discovered by the Romans, the Belgian town of Spa, 35km south-east of Liege, is best known for its mineral springs that have attracted the likes of Peter the Great and Casanova, who came here to take the healing waters. Eventually, the name of this charming town gave the world the generic term for any mineral spring or luxurious resort.
However, since the first quarter of the 20th century, Spa has also been synonymous with automobile racing. From 5 to 7 September this year, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps will host its annual Formula One grand prix. Michael Schumacher, who made his debut at the track in 1991 and won his first race there in 1992, has called it “the best race track in the world”.
Designed by Jules de Their and Henri Langlois Van Ophem, the original 15 km triangular course used public roads connecting the towns of Francorchamps, Malmedy and Stavelot. Since the course hosted the Belgian grand prix for the first time in 1924, it has been modified several times, partly for safety reasons, and in 1979 it was shortened to 7km. The race was dropped from the Formula One calendar in 2003 because of bans on tobacco advertising, and again in 2006 because financial problems meant scheduled improvements hadn’t been made, but it returned in 2007.
Above and below The Spa-Francorchamps circuit is a favourite among many of today’s Formula One drivers
The current circuit is a fast and hilly route through the Ardennes, and drivers can often reach speeds of 330km/h.
A dull race at Spa-Francorchamps is rare, especially given the unpredictable weather conditions – it may be raining on one part of the track, while another section may be dry – and the course’s dangerous twists and turns.
The most famous, and challenging, part of the race track is the Eau Rouge/ Raidillon combination. Having negotiated La Source hairpin, drivers race down straight to the point where the track crosses the Eau Rouge stream, before being flung steeply uphill into a sweeping left-right-left collection of corners with a blind summit.
Many of today’s Formula One drivers have had memorable races at Spa. At last year’s event, Kimi Räikkönen of Finland beat Brazil’s Felipe Massa by just
4.6 seconds. This year, the contest promises to be every bit as thrilling. www.spafrancorchamps.be
There is plenty to see and do in the Spa area, whether or not it’s racing season
Colline d’Annette et Lubin, tel. (0)87 772560, thermesdespa.com Spa’s top tourist attraction includes 800m2 of indoor and outdoor pools heated by natural springs. Avoid the queues by booking a therapeutic bath or massage in advance, and end your visit in the very zen relaxation room.
4 Rue Royale, tel. (0)87 772052, casinodespa.be Spa’s casino has the distinction of being the world’s oldest, having opened its doors in 1763. The current building dates back to the early 20th century and features opulent Louis XVI-style game rooms and a festival room that’s evocative of Versailles.
563 Rue Fonds Marie, Theux, tel. (0)87 541075, forestia.eu Located north-west of Spa in the town of Theux, this animal park is much nicer than a zoo. The 44-hectare plot of land is home to no fewer than 300 species native to the Ardennes region, including deer, wild boars and native and red foxes, all living in their natural habitats.
1/5 Domaine de Lébioles, tel. (0)87 791900, manoirdelebioles.com Built at the beginning of the 20th century and renovated in recent years, Manoir de Lébioles is an opulent castle-cum-hotel with a gourmet restaurant. There’s also a spa that’s set to open its doors this autumn.
Stavelot, tel. (0)80 880878, abbayedestavelot.be The town of Stavelot, near the Haute Fagnes nature reserve, grew up around its abbey, which was founded around 650. You can visit the archeological remains of the 11th-century church here, and the abbey grounds are home to the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack museum and the Stavelot-Malmedy museum.
Friday, August 1st, 2008 at 12:00 amand is filed under features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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