Friday, August 28, 2009

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps


This is my most favorite track in the world. Why? Because it has Eau Rouge and Blanchimont. Eau Rouge is not only fast but it goes down a hill then back up with a chicane thrown in the middle. Blanchimont is a double left hander that is taken flat out. Both these turns are just awesome. Read what the drivers have to say about the magic of Spa.
Spa-Francorchamps boasts what is widely regarded as the greatest and most daunting corner in the world: Eau Rouge. Commitment and precision are required in equal measure to take on the climbing right-hander. The vertical wall of concrete challenges the drivers to carry as much speed as possible over the brow and into the 190mph sprint towards Les Combes. A good exit to Eau Rouge will see drivers able to challenge the car ahead at the right hander. Through Eau Rouge the drivers are placed under lateral G forces of more than 5G and compression. It also sees high structural loads placed on the car and engine.
Spa is also located in the Ardennes, the mountainous region of Belgium that saw one of the bloodiest battles in WW2. It also means that the weather there is almost always cooler with a high chance of rain. As the track is quite long, about 7km sometimes half of it is raining and the half is dry. Which should provided plenty of edge of seat action.

The beautiful thing about Spa is that the changes of elevation and the combination of high-speed corners, which is very challenging. The track lay out is natural, guided by the topology of the place, and not artificially created. Can't wait for the race.

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