|
Event Information:
The
Belgian Grand Prix is an automobile
race, part of the Formula One World
Championship. The first national
race of Belgium was held in 1925 at
the Spa region's race course, an
area of the country that had been
associated with motor sport since
the very early years of racing. To
accommodate Grand Prix motor racing,
the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
race course was built in 1921 but it
was only used for motorcycle racing
until 1924. After the 1923 success
of the new 24 hours of Le Mans in
France, the Spa 24 Hours, a similar
24 hour endurance race, was run at
the Spa track.
Drivers and fans alike love the
Belgian Grand Prix. Since inception,
Spa-Francorchamps has been famous
for its unpredictable weather. At
one stage in its history it had
rained at the Belgian Grand Prix for
twenty years in a row. Frequently
drivers confront a part of the
course that is clear and bright
while In 2006, the FIA announced the
Belgian Grand Prix would not be part
of the 2006 Formula One season,
since the local authorities had
started major repair work in Spa-Francorchamps.
The Belgian Grand Prix returned in
2007, when Kimi Räikkönen took pole
position and his 3rd Belgian Grand
Prix win in a row. Another stretch
is rainy and slippery. Most drivers
today say that the Spa course is the
most challenging race track that
remains on the F1 calendar.
The
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the
venue of the Formula One Belgian
Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours
endurance race. It is also home to
the all Volkswagen club event, 25
Hours of Spa, run by the Uniroyal
Fun Cup. It is considered to be one
of the most challenging race tracks
in the world, mainly due to its
fast, hilly and twisty nature. The
Spa is a favourite circuit of many
racing drivers and fans. Designed in
1920 by Jules de Their and Henri
Langlois Van Ophem, the original
triangle-shaped course used public
roads between the Belgian towns of
Spa, Malmedy, and Stavelot. The
track was intended to have hosted
its inaugural race in August 1921,
however this event had to be
cancelled as there was only one
entrant. The first car race was held
at the circuit in 1922, and two
years later saw the first running of
the now famous 24 Hours of
Francorchamps race. The circuit was
first used for Grand Prix racing in
1925.
Over
the years, the Spa course has been
modified several times. The track
was originally 15 kilometres (9 mi)
long, but after World War II, the
track had some changes. The uphill
U-turn right after the famous Eau
Rouge corner called "Virage de
Ancienne Douane" was eliminated and
cut short, thus giving birth to the
Radillon uphill sweeping corner. The
sudden right-hander at Malmedy was
eliminated and bypassed, and was
made part of the Masta Straight.
Local
Weather:
|
