F1 returns from its annual summer shut down at a track many drivers and fans would list as their favorite, the legendary high speed track that winds its way through the Ardennes forest, located in Belgium between Brussels and Liege. Spa-Francorchamps is the longest circuit on the calendar, despite some significant modifications over the years from its original 14.9km layout, the current circuit is still predominantly run on narrow, public roads while following the natural landscape. The track boasts an exhilarating sequence of 19 sweeping medium and high speed corners connected by even faster straights.
Track
Spa-Francorchamps is one of the specialties in the Formula One calendar. We all look forward to the only Track in the calendar that can still be described as a natural circuit since it follows the features of the landscape. In the Ardennes, steep inclines are as much a feature as the unpredictable weather.
A medium downforce track, with medium tyre and brake wear, it’s the engines that experience the greatest demands at Spa with the average lap speed circulating the 237kph mark and top speeds reaching 320kph. As such, 73% of the lap is driven at full throttle with the longest period lasting a full 23 seconds from the exit of La Source down to Eau Rouge and up the hill through Radillion the Kemmel straight before finally braking for the challenging Les Combes chicane. This is the longest such time an F1 car will spend on the throttle this season.
Last Years Race
Pole: Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India) 1:46.308
1st Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:23:50.995
2nd Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India) +0.9 secs
3rd Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) +3.8 secs
4th Robert Kubica (BMW) +9.9 secs
5th Nick Heidfeld (BMW) +11.2 secs
6th Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren) +32.7 secs
7th Rubens Barrichello (Brawn) +35.4 secs
8th Nico Rosberg (Williams) +36.2 secs
Last years race will perhaps best be remembered for the amazing performance from Italian driver Giancarlo Fisichella whom qualified his Force India on pole position (the first for the team) and had the pace to win the race but was passed at the restart by Kimi Raikkonen who used his KERS powered Ferrari to get a run on the Mercedes powered FI on the run down Kemmel Straight. From there on Fisichella could do nothing but shadow Raikkonen around for 44 laps hoping for the Finn to make a mistake. Raikkonen was more than up to the challenge though and took home his 4th victory around a track he came to own. Fittingly this would be Raikkonen's last race victory in the sport.
A first lap stuff up at Les Combes from rookies Romain Grosjean and Jaime Alguersuari put the then reigning world champion and then championship leader, current McLaren drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button out of the race. It would be Jenson's only retirement of the season.
History
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 before the turn of the century. 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.
In 1925, the first Belgian Grand Prix was won by Antonio Ascari whose son Alberto would win the race in 1952 and 1953. Unfortunately, after winning the Belgian race, Antonio Ascari would be killed in his next outing at the French Grand Prix. In 1939, the race claimed the life of British driver Richard "Dick" Seaman while leading the race. During the 1960 race Chris Bristow and Alan Stacey lost their lives in separate incidents, the latter in a freak occurrence when hit in the face by a bird. Until Imola 1994 it remained the only double fatality GP.
This original circuit was unbelievably dangerous for both drivers and spectators.
On the 12th of June 1966, Formula One changed forever, in a way it paralleled what happened after Imola 1994. BRM teammates Jackie Stewart and Graham Hill, along with American privateer Bob Bondurant, aquaplaned on the first lap at the Masta Kink of Spa. After hitting a telegraph pole and a woodcutter's shed, Stewart ended up trapped by the steering column of his BRM for 25 excruciating minutes. Although seven cars were off the circuit, the red flag was not waved. Stewart had internal injuries, several broken bones and was soaked with fuel. Hill and Bondurant had to borrow tools from a spectator to remove the steering wheel. Hours passed - Stewart's medical treatment was farcical with the ambulance driver getting lost.
Stewart then led a crusade to improve circuit and car safety, which led Formula One out of the insanity of the dead-or-glory era. Gradually Formula One adopted the safety equipment we now take for granted, including safety belts and quick-release steering wheels.
Formula One left Spa in 1970. The modern Spa circuit was reopened in 1979 and, fortunately, it retained the best sector of the original circuit including La Source, Eau Rouge and the Raidillon with a magnificent new section added between Les Combes and Stavelot that bypassed the Masta straight. In stark contrast to 1966, every driver walked away unharmed from the 13-car accident of 1998, at the exit of the La Source hairpin
In 1972 Spa was considered too dangerous for Formula 1 machinery. Following that decision, the Belgians decided to alternate their Grand Prix between Zolder and a characterless circuit at Nivelles-Baulers near Brussels. The first race at Nivelles was won by Emerson Fittipaldi but although the track was safe, it inspired little enthusiasm when compared to the magnificent old Spa circuit. Zolder hosted the race the following year and it was won by Jackie Stewart.
Formula One returned to Nivelles in 1974. Once again the race was won by Emerson Fittipaldi, but after that event the organizers were unable to sustain a Grand Prix at Nivelles and the track faded from the racing scene.
Afterwards, the race returned to Zolder. The Belgian Grand Prix would be held there a further nine times. Niki Lauda scored back-to-back victories at the track in 1975 and 1976, and in 1977
Gunnar Nilsson scored his only F1 victory at Zolder. The following year Mario Andretti won the race for Lotus. In 1979, Jody Scheckter won the race in his Ferrari. In 1980 Didier Pironi became a first time winner at the track in his Ligier. The 1981 meeting that was won by Carlos Reutemann was chaotic with a mechanic being killed in the pitlane, a drivers' strike and then a nasty startline accident.
Zolder will always be remembered, however, as the place where Gilles Villeneuve died in 1982. John Watson won the race for McLaren, but a year later the rebuilt Spa circuit opened for racing and the Belgian Grand Prix returned there. The 1982 Belgian Grand Prix was held at Zolder. In 1983, the race returned to Spa before returning to Zolder in 1984.
This was the last F1 race held at Zolder with Michele Alboreto taking the final victory there. In 1985 the Belgian F1 Grand Prix returned to Spa-Francorchamps where it has remained ever since.
World Champion Michael Schumacher, who made his debut at Spa in 1991 and won his first F1 race there in 1992, won his 52nd Grand Prix at Spa in 2001, surpassing Alain Prost's all-time record of 51 wins. Schumacher also won his seventh World Drivers' Championship title at Spa in 2004. There was no Belgian Grand Prix in 2003 because of the country's tobacco advertising laws but it returned to the schedule again in 2004.
Another notable race was the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix which took place in torrential conditions.
The race was originally stopped after a massive accident involving thirteen of the twenty-two runners at the first corner. The heavy rain caused low visibility, and Michael Schumacher ran into the back of David Coulthard, an event that angered Schumacher so much he stormed into the McLaren garage to confront Coulthard, claiming he had tried to kill him. Coulthard later admitted he had been at fault, due to his own inexperience (despite it being his fourth year of Formula One). Only eight drivers were classified finishers (two of whom were five laps behind, one of whom was Coulthard) and Damon Hill secured a memorable victory ahead of team mate Ralf Schumacher to record the Jordan team's first Formula One win in its history, and a 1-2 to top it off.
Such is the challenge of Spa that only the truly great drivers can really claim to have mastered it. In fact just six men have won the race more than twice - Juan Manuel Fangio (three times), Damon Hill (three times), Kimi Raikkonen (four times), Jim Clark (four times), Ayrton Senna (five times) and Michael Schumacher (six times). Of the current drivers in the field only Schumacher and Hamilton have taken to the top step at Spa, although Hamilton had his 1998 victory stripped after the event, with Felipe Massa inheriting the win.
With Schumacher (10 place penalty) and Massa (obedient lap dog) unlikely to challenge for victory, a new driver will have the chance to claim the King of Spa throne that Raikkonen has his name on up until his retirement.
Session times and weather to follow...
