Old Spa Francorchamps Full Lap with Abandoned Sections

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3 жыл бұрын

Old Spa Francorchamps Full Lap with Abandoned Sections
In this Circuits of the past video Herman shows you a lap at old Spa-Francorchamps, with some abandoned and forgotten sections.
We start on the original Start/Finish straight. Because this one was too steep, they moved the Start/Finish for the returned Formula 1 Grand Prix to the straight before La Source in 1983.
Before 1939 they turned left after the start, to the ‘l Ancienne Douane Hairpin. The name of this left-hander may sound familiar, this is the Eau Rouge, named after the brook that flows here underneath the track.
The old loop was actually a detour on the public road to make the slope less steep. Untill 2000 it was still in use as public road. But since Spa-Francorchamps became a permanent circuit, it is an abandoned section of the original layout of the track.
In 1939 this section was cut off by a new artificial corner, to make the circuit even faster. Because the new corner was very steep they called it the Raidillon. Raidillon comes from “raide”, which is the French word for steep. Raidillon actually means steep path of steep road.
Today most people call the Raidillon incorrectly Eau Rouge, which is actually the old pre 1939 left-hander. More about this name confusion in the video "Eau Rouge or Raidillon?": • Eau Rouge or Raidillon...
After the Raidillon follows the Kemmel section. Today we know Kemmel as a straight, but original this was a series of fast kinks. It was straightened in 1979 with the contruction of the new circuit.
At Les Combes we leave the current circuit and follow the public road. This is the original Les Combes section. Not a chicane, but a fast left-hander at the highest point of the track.
a little further we pass the remains of the old Malmedy Chicane.
The Malmedy Chicane was mainly used in the pre-war version of the track. First from 1921 to 1929. Than from 1934 to 1939. After World War Two the chicane was initially not used anymore, because of the trend to make the circuit faster.
But when safety became an issue, the Malmedy Chicane was reused again in 1970 for certain race classes like the last Formula One Grand Prix at old Spa-Francorchamps.
The most feared corner of old Spa-Francorchamps was the Masta Kink. Actually it was a left-right combination, which was almost full throttle. Some drivers even claimed they didn’t lift for the Masta Kink.
Next to the Masta Kink is an old chicane, which was built for the 1975 edition of the 1000 Kilometres of Spa-Francorchamps. It should be a safer alternative for the fast kinks.
However, after some test drives they came to the conclusion that the new chicane was even more dangerous than the original corners. So the Masta Chicane was never used for its purpose. Today it is a parking along the public road.
In 1947 this new banked was built to replace the old Stavelot Corner, to make old Spa-Francorchamps even faster.
The Stavelot Corner was named after the nearby city of Stavelot. Today you find here in the Abbey the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit Museum, with a great collection of classic racing cars and motorcycles that raced at old Spa-Francorchamps.
A little more about the history of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
The First time the old Spa-Francorchamps street circuit was used was in 1922. The 8.75 Miles long circuit through the Belgian Ardennes was very fast. And that was exactely what the circuit bosses want.
To make it even faster they built two artificial corners in the street circuit, the Raidillon (1939) and the banked Stavelot Corner (1947).
The old Spa-Francorchamps Circuit hosted the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix 18 times in the periode from 1950 to 1970.
But as people started to think more about safety, the fast street circuit became increasingly criticized. After the 1970 Grand Prix, Formula One shunned old Spa-Francorchamps and moved to Zolder and Nivelles.
Check also my viseos from the abandoned Nivelles Circuit: • Circuit Nivelles-Baule...
In 1979 the new Spa-Francorchamps circuit opened. It contained a part of the old circuit, and a new connection.
More about the history of old Spa-Francorchamps on the website:
www.circuitsofthepast.com/spa... (English)
www.circuitsofthepast.nl/circ... (Nederlands)
Special thanks to Simon Smith for the voiceover. Check also his channel: / higherplaingames
Thanks for watching this video.
Don't miss our new videos and subscribe to my channel. kzfaq.info... Thanks for the subscribe :)

Пікірлер: 626

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Check also my new Monza video where I explore the old Monza Oval and Pirelli Track: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mcujn9xk3bi6oWQ.html

@paulchok1397 3 жыл бұрын

F1 iItaly

@ronniepineda6254 3 жыл бұрын

The old nurburgring please

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

@@ronniepineda6254 I made already some videos about the Nürburgring. You can see them here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/a7qllZOJrKeZpX0.html However, if you're expecting an onboard at the Nordschleife I have to dissapoint you. The press officer of the Nürburgring is very unsympathetic and don't want to coöperate on filming an onboard. When I asked if they don't have an onboard I can use for my videos they stopped answering... That's a pity because I had some interesting documantaries about the Nürburgring in mind.

@saraleija6938 3 жыл бұрын

okl

@camelguy9975 3 жыл бұрын

The run-off areas of the old Spa-Francorchamps circuit were someone's house, a cliff, or a tree. Sounds very safe and fun :)

@matthewgroff433 3 жыл бұрын

I remember watching a TV program about car crashes, that showed a VERY Expensive Ferrari in a street race in Italy, losing control on a slight downhill right hand kink, the driver realizes he is not going to make the turn because he is going too fast, slams on the brakes, He almost came to a stop in time. But he ended up sliding off the road over the sidewalk and ended up going down over the wall and into the house's courtyard where people were sitting having dinner watching the race! Fortunately no one was injured, except the Driver's ego and the Ferrari's ego! LOL I would hate to see the Towing bill for that! LOL

@burblingbarbacoa4944 3 жыл бұрын

One of the corner apex is literally a driveway

@deeznoots6241 3 жыл бұрын

Don’t forget the barbed wire and ditches

@paulcajkasr9600 3 жыл бұрын

You can see the old Spa circuit in the Frankenheimer movie Grand Prix including that house run off.

@aussieausdeutschland4245 3 жыл бұрын

@@paulcajkasr9600 now i have to rewatch that movie again

@rzero21 Жыл бұрын

I absolutely love how there are still some bits of history here and there... and even entire sections of the old circuit.

@sirsancti5504 6 ай бұрын

So.. I always wanted to drive the Mulsanne Straight in a normal "weekday".. I guess Belgium just got a little bit closer, too..

@lokopixo2338 3 жыл бұрын

a modern version of that old Spa recreated like La Sarthe in assetto corsa would be awesome..

@HAMM3R. 3 жыл бұрын

There is a 1966 version of Spa for Assetto Corsa.

@swagmasteryo9726 3 жыл бұрын

There's actually an older version of Spa with the old eau rouge and several chicanes from pre-1966 for AC as well.

@kianguyan5297 3 жыл бұрын

There is a complete one on project cars 2 aswell. From the early 70s I think👍👍

@ArnoldTriyudho 3 жыл бұрын

You mean old layout with current infrastructures, right..??

@dimensionsfly7494 3 жыл бұрын

@@ArnoldTriyudho in project cars its the old infrastructure if you are racing in an old tract

@legm5298 2 жыл бұрын

Absolute Mad lads going through raidillon full throttle with bikes on wet conditions🤯

@sunjidasultana4648 Жыл бұрын

Not full throttle tho but yea, they are insane

@sirsancti5504 6 ай бұрын

That's motorcycle racing for you.. When F1 cancells for a drizzle, a MotoGP rider wins it by not pitting to get wet tires. (Look it up.. Brad Binder in Austria. At some point, he was more an ice-skater than a rider/pilot).

@Karincl7 2 ай бұрын

@@sirsancti5504but spa is too dangerous 😮

@klapsigaarenbasgitaar1931 2 күн бұрын

@@Karincl7Indeed that's why MotoGP doesn't go to Spa.

@fatunicorn6933 3 жыл бұрын

7:04 My boss, a former racing driver, told me that he didn't lifted here (not f1) and that on the exit of the right mast turn he went very close to the house on that left side of the road. He literally drove underneath people watching the race at that balcony.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Great inside information. Thanks for sharing it!

@magical5181 Жыл бұрын

Some F1 drivers claimed it to be the most dangerous corner

@s0012823 3 жыл бұрын

I remember as a kid in the '80's we drove over the circuit when travelling to Luxemburg.

@Streetw1s3r 3 жыл бұрын

Dick Seaman, the best name in F1. RIP.

@IronBahamut 3 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately a bit of a Nazi

@user-wg9yk7ik5k 3 жыл бұрын

ペナルティ？自分

@CheapskateMotorsports 3 жыл бұрын

"Dick Seaman takes the Masta Kink!"

@SanderKamp 2 жыл бұрын

Dick Seaman never actually raced in F1. Still a very regrettable loss

@Streetw1s3r 2 жыл бұрын

@@CheapskateMotorsports "...As Dick Seaman enters the Lesmos"

@greenthing99100 3 жыл бұрын

I still remember my dad reading me bits of Denis Jenkinson's 1963 race report and showing me the pictures (I was 5) and I fell in love with Spa. Jim Clark spent most of practice in the pits gloomily watching the mechanics fiddle with the internals of his gearbox. However, Clark stormed into the lead by Raidillon (then the first corner) from row 3 on the grid and he and Graham Hill steaadily pulled away from the field. By lap 16 the track was nearly dry and Clark lapped in 3 minutes 58.1 seconds, but then the rain came down so badly that on lap 29 his lap time was 6 minutes 40 seconds. With cars scattered all over the forest, fields and villages of the Ardennes, either with deranged gear linkages (including Hill's), or having aquaplaned into the scenery, mercifuly without serious injury, Clark won by over 5 minutes, holding the car in top gear in the torrential rain. He hated Spa; having blood spatters on his car early in his career made sure of that, but his effortless, smooth style and quiet courage bought him four consecutive F1 GP victories (1962-1965). Despite his premonitions about the speed and trees at Spa, it was at the old Hockenheim in 1968 that the speed and the trees bought an end to the life of the man who conquered his own fears and vanquished the Spa you so evocatively showed us here. Thank you.

@jjanderson8235 2 жыл бұрын

Great comment! Jimmy Clark was an incredible/ meticulous driver in his own stratosphere. Like Jimmy, Jackie Stewart hated Spa esp. the Masta kink where he went off in 1966 to sit broken, helpless and soaking in a tub filling up with petrol. Graham Hill saved him. A helicopter overhead ended up being for the MGM film 'Grand Prix' and it took ages for an ambulance. Jackie wanted Spa banned as unsuitable and unsafe for modern f1 cars. Great footage of the old circuits in the MGM film! Graham Hill describes in his book 'Life At The Limit' (1969) pp. 180 -181 Also, Jackie Stewart's 'Faster: A Racer's Diary' (1972) pp. 54 - 57.

@davepastern Жыл бұрын

Clark, up there with Senna and Fangio. No other drives come close to this trio imho.

@Nihos_real Жыл бұрын

stop the cap

@DCHutchins 3 жыл бұрын

This is great, I visited Spa for a 6hr race while on a business trip, love the history.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@MrMedven 3 жыл бұрын

Me to, in 2018.

@andyelliott8027 2 жыл бұрын

@@Circuitsofthepast In the 1963 Belgian Grand Prix in torrential rain Jim Clark started 8th on the grid. Before the end of the first lap he was leading and by the end of the race he'd lapped everyone except Bruce McLaren who finished 2nd. Bruce was 4 minutes 54 seconds behind him. The 3rd and 4th place drivers were 1 lap behind and the 5th and 6th place drivers two laps behind. On an 8.7 mile ( 14.1 km) lap !

@cinektokoks 3 жыл бұрын

You deserve more views. Amazing explanation.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@oresti19 3 жыл бұрын

@@Circuitsofthepast more subscribers too

@philippedefechereux8740 Жыл бұрын

I was born 10 miles from the old track, between the towns of Spa and Liège! I saw my first race car race there at age 6 (tourism cars). I later left to pursue my American dream in New York at age 24. I'm have now long been an American. Proud of both my region of origin and my country of adoption. Between age 6 and 55, I probably witnessed on circuit at least 25 races on the old track and another 20+ on the new circuit, including every F1 GP of the 1990s as a VIP. Now I watch every F1 on the calendar race on F1 TV. Got the virus at age 6...

@gustavobrito2871 3 жыл бұрын

Last driver to win in this old track was Pedro Rodríguez in a BRM

@KevBoy3D 3 жыл бұрын

I went to Spa for the first time this summer and passing through Masta kink and Stavelot to get there was perhaps almost as cool as driving the track itself!

@TheJH1015 3 жыл бұрын

Fun legend: the reason how the Bus Stop chicane got its name, is because the circuit management wanted to put a chicane there. However, they wouldn't get any funding for it from the Walloon government. To circumvent this, they asked the local government if they could get funding to construct a bus stop would get its own , which was approved by the overarching Walloon government. Then they used the funding to construct the new chicane, which was then named 'Bus Stop'. Typically Belgian way of dealing with things xD

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks. I heard this story before but was not sure it was true or an urban legend. They also told it was used to store road salt.

@mikeellisonhimself Жыл бұрын

I still miss the old Bus Stop.

@kenthemanmcmillan8965 3 жыл бұрын

The old circuit is used for the parade of the 24 hours of Spa, it's the only time race cars are on the old spa.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the information. I didn;t know that.

@kolumbijcan 3 жыл бұрын

like whole track or just some section?

@kenthemanmcmillan8965 3 жыл бұрын

@@kolumbijcan it's the whole old track.

@joekel55 3 жыл бұрын

I still can remember that the late famous and legendary BBC F1 commentator Murray Walker started his commentary of a F1 GP in Spa- Francorchamps with the words: " Welcome to the most exhilarating and the most beautiful F1 circuit on earth, Welcome to Spa- Francorchamps"....Well that says it all.

@mattg432 10 ай бұрын

Murray obviously never knew the Nordschleife as a F1 track, or at all. "going full-time for the 1978 season", he was simply at least two years too late. And apparently he also skipped the 1981, '84 and '85 German GPs

@ericgeisen4090 3 жыл бұрын

Most beautiful circuit in existance!! Very fond memories....

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah it's a beautifull circuit. Only a little bit of a pity it is no longer a semi street circuit. It was realy cool to drive in the evening after the GP on the track where you saw your heroes driving that day :)

@noahletwinski6955 3 жыл бұрын

Try driving this track on GPL with no assists...its hella scary when you reach the end of the straight

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Imagine how it would have been in real :o

@vitor.guitarra 3 жыл бұрын

where can I find Grand Prix Legends to download and play?

@pentilex4338 3 жыл бұрын

@@vitor.guitarra There's a fan game called Grand Prix Legends 2020 that has a compilation of some popular mods for free. Check it out.

@thijsatwork2998 3 жыл бұрын

At Project Cars 2 is also a historic version of the old circuit! very fast and fun to drive.

@davefloyd9443 3 жыл бұрын

Original 1998 GPL is still available on Disc. This and the Nordschleife were the real deal in GPL. VROC forever!

@endgamerplays Жыл бұрын

I didn’t know this channel existed and I am now mad that KZfaq didn’t recommend this to me sooner.

@Warlock67 3 ай бұрын

Dude, thank you so much for supplying this video... it literally gave me chills. I had no idea how the existing circuit morphed from the 1967 circuit. Keep up the good work, you've got a new subscriber!

@Circuitsofthepast 3 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@beghdav 3 жыл бұрын

Beautiful area, i went there for work last week and still will go next week, everyday there's is someone racing around the track and u can watch race cars from some spots for free. Amazing, and the old circuit is very very fast and scary. U get there full throttle with a normal car i just can imagine how thrilling it might have been in a powerful machine.

@CM_Burns Жыл бұрын

I find your voice very soothing, calming and relaxing.

@dmitrykireev3607 3 жыл бұрын

Amazing! I will never forget the first time I've seen the old circuit. I only realized that I saw smth familiar from GPL when we approached Stavelot. Then it became clear that the houses behind which reminded me of smth were actually the houses after Masta. Which saw me going off again and again trying to take the corner faster than 245 km/h.

@simonbrunner3062 Жыл бұрын

Haha, I can relate to that last part! What blew my mind most about this video is how much of a corner Masta actually is. So much so that they have a speed limit of 70 there, apparently. To think that they did it with 250 and more in those old, flimsy cars with no aerodynamics, crazy!

@eastender74 3 жыл бұрын

Old track layouts like Spa need to be in current racing games. I would love to race this on a current gen console! The German Autobahn is cool but that track has been in games for like forever!

@NoInsurance Жыл бұрын

I wish it was on current sims too :) I had the chance to try it in Project Cars 2.

@davepastern Жыл бұрын

Grand Prix Legends - an old game from the late 90s, but still very well worthwhile playing. People have made modules to fix the graphics too and make it run on modern computer systems. A very enjoyable game.

@thatonenigeriansformula Жыл бұрын

its in project cars 2

@Iluvxi Жыл бұрын

Its also in automobilista 2

@simonbrunner3062 Жыл бұрын

There's a free high quality mod for Assetto Corsa that contains both the 1930s as well as the 1960s version. That's how I first learned about the old Stavelot corner and the Burnenville chicane, actually. I'd only known the 1967 layout until then, thanks to Grand Prix Legends.

@zevenaar01 2 жыл бұрын

I was there in 99 when 2/3 of the circuit was still public road including Raidillon, great experience.

@sirsancti5504 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for this wholesome content, mate. I miss the glorious old days of racing.

@Circuitsofthepast 6 ай бұрын

You're welcome, mate.

@kimiantonellifan 3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic background info about an legendary track. I remembered my dad and I drove on the public roads of Spa.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks. Yeah those good old days when it was a semi street circuit :)

@freejrs 3 жыл бұрын

Jim Clark was often untouchable at Spa but he famously hated the circuit due to the insane speeds and the dangers this created. Funny how many site the Nordschleife as the most dangerous track of the era, yet Jimmy felt Spa was the scarier of the two.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

I think because old Spa-Francorchamps was more high speed than the Nordschleife.

@therealforestelf 5 ай бұрын

I like how you adressed the tourists dramatically slower than the speed limit xD that really brightened up my day hahaha

@Circuitsofthepast 5 ай бұрын

Thanks! Than you will enjoy also this video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/a7x5q7qGvLK2lJs.html

@ourresidentcockney8776 3 жыл бұрын

Brilliant video. Absolutely love the history of the older tracks. Certainly nice to get some ideas for my own fictional circuit designs. Top banter as well lads! Modern GP tracks definitely need some innuendo in their names.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@bryanweston7737 Жыл бұрын

...this famous track - especially the long, older circuit - went right through an area where the Battle of the Bulge was fought during WWII, including Malmedy and Stavelot! My father was in the U.S. Army infantry, and was actually at those locations, as part of where he fought in that battle. I remember telling this to Dan Gurney at the U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis (I was working for Car and Driver / Road & Track at that time) - shortly after Road & Track had done a feature on him and his 1967 Eagle returning to Spa (25th Anniversary) - where the Eagle G.P. car won for the first time - and Dan promptly pulled out his camera & started showing me pics he took at the WWII museum - I believe it was in Malmedy! Dan was a regular and good guy, with a great laugh - and I sure hope there are many more races at Spa in F1's future...!

@Circuitsofthepast Жыл бұрын

Interesting story, thanks for sharing! On my next visit I will look for the WWII museum in Malmedy.

@AS-rm5he 3 жыл бұрын

Brilliant video. It seems mad to think that anyone would have willingly driven that layout given the number of deaths, but the adrenaline rush on.the straights must have been unbelievable.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@kolumbijcan 3 жыл бұрын

in 50s it was like a norm, normal track :) i mean the drivers still feared it but

@PascalBuyens 3 жыл бұрын

This made me think of the 90s, driving to Germany for a weekend at the Nordschleife, passing by Spa and lapping the old circuit, then coming back at La Source, up the Kemmel Straight, and slip between the tyres at Les Combes to blast around the "new" Spa track... Miss those days :)

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

I did the same in the 90's. The good old days :)

@mattg432 10 ай бұрын

Me too, visiting as tourist in 1997. Around 2001 the whole modern track was already closed to the public as the new bypass road had been built. In 2003 I've won the 1400cc class of a minor race event there.

@LunaJo67WDHTMJ Жыл бұрын

My dad told me the other day that he often drove over part of the old circuit with his truck right past the pit- boxes. So now I tell everyone my dad drove at Spa. ;) LJ

@xj_220 2 жыл бұрын

I love the fact that you can still drive on the very same roads that once were part of spa

@Circuitsofthepast 2 жыл бұрын

Before 2000 it was even better, when you could drive the full lap. I always drove a few laps on the old layout after a visit to the Belgian Grand Prix.

@G0ingN0va 3 жыл бұрын

I'm a big F1 fan, past and present, and having been to Spa this was an excellent video. Subbed!

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@NosleNremix 2 жыл бұрын

1 month ago, for the 100th anniversary of Spa Francorchamps, they put 4 old F1 (Thierry Boutsen was on the wheel in one of his old F1) and they drove by in a section of the old track (from Masta to Stavelot's corner)

@fvrharry7713 3 жыл бұрын

Amazing video! Spa is the greatest track on earth and I love learning about its history. Thank you!

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

@aussieausdeutschland4245 3 жыл бұрын

This is great, I've read about the old track. But now Hermann and yourself have given me the visual sense of it. God what a awesome track, one day it and Nürburgring I will visit and drive on.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks. It's actually Herman with one n, but I forgive you ;) I'm Herman and Simon does the voiceovers.

@Hackenbaker 3 жыл бұрын

I love you videos. I remeber the old Spa in Grand Prix legends. Some of the houses remains, it's amazing. Thanks for this tour.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

@bombakdik 3 жыл бұрын

I often go to Nivelles as my father did some break-in racing laps with his Ducatis and Yamaha TZ bikes that he was preparing for racing teams. He had a bike shop and was multi-brand official dealer in the center of Brussels. Greetings from Belgium.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing your memories to Nivelles. It is also special for me. Because of my 1998 visit to the abandoned Nivelles circuit I came to the idea for the Circuits of the past website and KZfaq channel. Check this playlist for my Nivelles videos: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/p9iThNuY09CUl4k.html Greetings from the Netherlands

@Loraine286fac 3 жыл бұрын

Fabulous, as always, Herman x

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@loydenochs8572 3 жыл бұрын

the current Spa is on the post-Covid bucket list - thanks for the look back to the long course!!

@burblingbarbacoa4944 3 жыл бұрын

I'm so glad I've found this channel. Super cool.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@garymeredith2441 3 жыл бұрын

Herman you did a fantastic job of showing us Formula 1 fans what the old Spa circuit what's really like thank you for showing us this .

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome.

@spikespa5208 6 ай бұрын

5:46 oops.

@bobke114 3 жыл бұрын

I have rode my mountain bike many times on the old circuit and I thought I knew it pretty well. However I never knew that the pullout on drivers right at Masta was actually a proposed chicane. Great info. Man I wished I could get back over there

@jorgeabbiate8701 2 жыл бұрын

Really a wonderful ride to see one of the most emblematic circuits of international motorsport and personally the one that has always captivated me the most since it is the most loved by most of the racers. Thanks for the video.

@Circuitsofthepast 2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome.

@Marc180sx 3 жыл бұрын

another great historic circuit video herman and simon, i find old spa fascinating!

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@stacksflat7482 Жыл бұрын

This was my fav F1 race and track of all

@calmkenny4175 3 жыл бұрын

I watched the Spa24 of 72,3,4 from the inside of the old Les Combes. Bizarre memories of staying awake for nearly 36 hours and hardly anybody else spectating at that part. I saw Massimo Larini follow his headlights instead of taking the corner. He possibly thought he was still going through one of the fast sweeps before Combes. At about the same time across the valley, Joisten had his crash. Marshals looking for Larini's car in the field whilst blue lights and rescue vehicles got in the way of cars that did not slow down one bit. All that Williamson killed at Zandvoort a week later. Very strange, tragic yet fascinating times. Watching from the entrance to Masta was awesome, till being told to leave by the local gendarmerie.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing your memories to old Spa-Francorchamps!

@invictus3598 2 жыл бұрын

Incredible! I wish F1 would return to this vintage circuit, so the character of the F1 at Spa could be somewhat restored. Those were the days! Thank you!

@Circuitsofthepast 2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

@ceepax6197 2 жыл бұрын

Crazy talk though... reliving the horror stories of death and carnage is not what we want to see - this was never the spirit of Formula 1, just an outcome from an era when we didn't know any better.

@_knotgood_1371 3 жыл бұрын

Ty for all your hard work and content contributions.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! :)

@mattiasrockdriguez 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome. Well explained and fun to watch. Thank you

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@mixtoon 3 жыл бұрын

Parabéns não sabia que Spa tinha um desenho antigo 👏👏👏

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Not really a design. It was public roads they connected. Only the two artificial corners were designed.

@ernestogasulla7763 Жыл бұрын

Awesome video, thanks. To be honest I find the new Spa far more exciting and interesting- the old one is mostly pedal to the metal up to the Masta kink, where you could get killed for a few tenths of a second.

@velchuck Жыл бұрын

Absolutely amazing! Well done.

@Circuitsofthepast Жыл бұрын

Thanks.

@Olivyay 3 жыл бұрын

I drove on the public road part of the new circuit in the late 90s as a passenger on my dad's car, you could take the Raidillon when driving the same direction as the race track - though you had to keep to the right of the road at Eau Rouge obviously - and it was mind boggling how steep it was even in a road car! When driving in the other direction you had to go through the Ancienne Douane hairpin, probably because it was too steep to have road cars drive down that way, it was worse than a mountain road, and also blind.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Yes I remember those days :) What you describe is the situation after 1994. Before the public road used the l'Ancienne Douane in both directions. But to inrease the run off from the Raidillon for the 1995 GP they demolished a part of the public road. Right after the GP it was also before possible to take the Raidillon, as I did many times. It is so steep that even full throttle you drop about 30 km in speed with a normal road car.

@THIS---GUY 2 жыл бұрын

That would be a really cool experience crazy how normal it was. I'd drive that route daily if I could

@synaptik111 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome presentation -- Thank you!!

@ricardosouza4000 3 жыл бұрын

Great video! Thanks! Hugs from Brazil!

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Obrigado!

@Toeterman 3 жыл бұрын

My grandparents lived in Verviers, not far from Spa. And we used to spend a lot of time in the Ardennen. I remember the days that the circuit was part of the public road and that we drove on it. As shown on 11.38. Nice video, good information.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks. In the 90's I drove the full lap many times. In the evening after the F1 Grand Prix I drove back to the circuit from the camping in Coo. Then I drove some laps on the old track and also a few on the current track. The permanent was actually closed for public but easy to enter.

@glauberbelo9602 3 жыл бұрын

Absolutely great video. Your work is awesome! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks :)

@superlegoboysz 3 жыл бұрын

I've been waiting for this one

@SiVlog1989 3 жыл бұрын

It's fascinating that the legendary Jim Clark, despite the track being one of his most successful tracks, hated Spa Francorchamps. In 1960, he raced in the tragic 1960 Belgian Grand Prix, where Chris Bristow and Alan Stacey died in accidents within 5 laps of each other. That race had the dubious distinction of being the only time in F1 history two drivers were killed in the same race and the first of two occasions, the other being Imola 1994, where two drivers died in the same weekend. It truly was one of the darkest days in F1. It's a wonder how it hasn't come to be known as Black Sunday

@andyelliott8027 2 жыл бұрын

When Bristow and Stacey were killed they didn't even stop the race despite the fact that Bristow was decapitated and Stacey was burned to death in his car. You had to have a good reason to red flag a race in those days !

@SiVlog1989 2 жыл бұрын

@@andyelliott8027 it really does reflect the attitude of the time. Back then, drivers were considered to be little more than light bulbs, they get easily replaced if they lose their lives in accidents. From the 1950's to 1970's in particular, the sport was a mincing machine (15 drivers paid the ultimate price in the 1950's, 14 in the 1960's and 12 in the 1970's) and of course we have to thank Jackie Stewart for the work he did against the odds to get the sport and tracks kicking and screaming to improve safety

@michaelbragg6903 3 жыл бұрын

Love this! It was cool to see the whole circuit of the past.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@MrBella34 8 күн бұрын

Kenny Roberts took a brilliant 2nd place in his first race at Spa on his way to winning the 1978 500cc world title, imagine what it must have been like for him racing this track in the pouring rain on a 500 cc GP bike.

@kaeriks Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this video, man. I have been there last week and thanks to your guide I was able to drive 80% of the old Spa track. Masta kink was renovated, new layer of asphalt is layed. But the part of the chicane that you mentioned to be build and never used - it was digged out and barricaded. I do not know what is the intention, but looked way better than on your video.

@Circuitsofthepast Жыл бұрын

You're welcome. I hope they don't remove the kerbstones at the chicane.

@Turder 2 жыл бұрын

Rode once there on motorcycle, and stayed in the hotel seen on the left hand side at 3:19 One evening as I was riding back and forth the old sections, there was a Porsche Supercup car doing some shakedown runs between Stavelot and entrance to Blanchimont. That evening the track was closed for the day, and staff was doing some maintenance so I guess the team just decided to use dead end part of the road (sort of) to run their race car. To me this is one of the best and legendary tracks, used to drive it all the time on Grand Prix Legends (PC game).

@Circuitsofthepast 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing this memory!

@philippedubois754 7 ай бұрын

Merci pour cet excellent reportage... bravo à vous ! Thank you for this excellent report... well done to you!

@Circuitsofthepast 7 ай бұрын

Merci beaucoup!

@CuoreSportivo 3 жыл бұрын

yet another great video, it's a shame that we can't follow the pre-2000 route. maybe one day if the channel picks up, they'll allow it :)

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

I contact them twice. They did read my e-mail but never reacted... some press officers :(

@CuoreSportivo 3 жыл бұрын

@@Circuitsofthepast youtubers are not considered as proper journalists you know. doug demuro complained about the same thing at the new ford gt launch as well. damn boomers :)

@szymon6207 3 жыл бұрын

Tomorrow race in 44 laps !

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

@Cuore Sportivo I'm not only a KZfaqr, I also have a website about old circuits since 2003, which is quite popular in Belgium. However, at least they can give a reaction. There is much difference how circuits react. Some give me the golden threathment, others don't even answer.

@corngrohlio 3 жыл бұрын

@@Circuitsofthepast Love your work!

@weemt07biker74 2 жыл бұрын

Really enjoyed this, thank you.

@Circuitsofthepast 2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome

@SALAMINIZER13 3 жыл бұрын

Great video. My favorite circuit. Thank you.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome.

@ryangarritty9761 3 жыл бұрын

Motorsport magazine's Denis Jenkinson used to go and stand at the Masta Kink and listen to each driver's engine note through there. If memory serves me right, Clark would take it flat, as did Jackie Stewart. Few others did so consistently, though. One year, I think probably 1970, Chris Amon spent the whole race psyching himself up to take it flat, which he eventually did. However, he still couldn't catch Pedro !

@kolumbijcan 3 жыл бұрын

i d thnk rindt too

@user-jg6vi4cd7v 2 жыл бұрын

Great video loved it - nice to know the history of the circuit I love and have been to, plus I fell into the Eau Rouge Brook at an F1 race trying to move around the track to get a better view!

@nomduprofil2708 3 жыл бұрын

You can imagine this track was so amazing. Maybe not like Nurburgring but great track and of course scary!

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

The old Nürburgring wanted to be a technical track, while old Spa wanted to be the fastest.

@nomduprofil2708 3 жыл бұрын

@@Circuitsofthepast I see !

@kolumbijcan 3 жыл бұрын

nurburg was built as a test track really

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

@@kolumbijcan The Nürburgring was actually built for both racing and testing. With the Steilstrecke section only built for testing.

@dfswhip 2 жыл бұрын

nice, thank you for this little spark of history...

@Circuitsofthepast 2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome.

@gianfrancodepaoli1176 3 жыл бұрын

Great tour... thanks

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome

@DerkJanSpeelman 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome video! Truly phenomenal.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@LateralTwitlerLT 3 жыл бұрын

Interesting and informative. I learned several new factoids. So thanks for creating and uploading this vid.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome. Great you like the video and learned something :)

@Nicolas-kd5ni Жыл бұрын

I've been there a few month ago, order a truit , a cocktail and see the amazing landscape around you, the belgian ardennes are so gorgeous

@ralphe5842 Жыл бұрын

The film Grand Prix gives a great impression of the old circuit

@richarddutton7953 Жыл бұрын

I'll never forget Mark Webber OVERTAKING Fernando Alonso going through Raidillon in 2011, still one of my all-time race moves 🙈

@ColinTaberMusic 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for doing this video - love it!

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

@RTPJu 2 жыл бұрын

Thanx for the video, lad... cheers!

@Circuitsofthepast 2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

@fedoremelianenko2404 Жыл бұрын

i drove the old track with my parents back when it was still possible , ever since then i've caught the bug and i've been at Spa so many times , i spend atleast 1-2 days a month on the track .

@martinlaver007 3 жыл бұрын

Really interesting. Thank you.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome

@FlyBoyGrounded 2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic to see this!

@Circuitsofthepast 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@375GTB Жыл бұрын

1970 saw c.160mph laps by both F-1 cars and Sports Cars for the 1000Km. endurance race. 1980s saw even faster laps by Steffan Bellof in the Porsche 962 that he would die in. A light but deadly collision with Jackie Ickx near Eau Rouge. Pretty much the old circuit, even then J.C.

@FabioFC01 3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic video! Congrats

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@penha13 3 жыл бұрын

cheers for u mate, u did a astronomus work explaining it for us. greatings from brazil.

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

Obrigado!

@marcusolsson5506 3 жыл бұрын

Love this circuit. Bern there 2009 and watched formula one

@Circuitsofthepast 3 жыл бұрын

I have been there many times in the 90's. A few hours after the F1 race was finished they opened the track for public, because it was a semi street circuit. So in the evening I drove some laps on the old circuit. Also a few times the current circuit, but it was actually illegal to enter the new section. Great times :)

@GeesDrive 2 жыл бұрын

The circuit is well worth a visit for any race-fan. There is so much to see and the elevation is incredible. So very different to somewhere like Donnington or Silverstone. Top vid!

@Circuitsofthepast 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!