Wednesday 16th April 2014

Spa revisited (again): Time For Tea?

We've had a taste of old-school Spa; here are some classic racers doing it for real

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So you'll know we're a little Spa-Francorchamps fixated at the moment. Bear with us. You may have seen the blog earlier, including our comedy sped up drive of the old Spa lap. That led to the inevitable YouTube browsing for proper footage of racing back in the day and a selection of Spa-related videos to accompany your afternoon brew and chocolate digestive.

This one of the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix is pretty cool and full of period atmosphere (yes, that includes the obligatory girls in bikinis...) but concentrates mainly on the familiar sections of the circuit we know and love. Doesn't Eau Rouge look even more intimidating bordered by Armco rather than run-off though...

For the cars and sense of the old track in its greater glory though this one of the 1971 24-hour race is arguably better, even if the quality isn't all that. Just look at the cars though! Fat-tyred BMW CSLs, Escorts, Alfa GTAs, Camaros and - of course - the famous AMG 300 SEL 6.8 all squirming around on their softly sprung suspension and balloon like rubber and roaring around the Ardennes countryside in fine style. For more on the AMG there's a good little clip here from Mercedes, including snippets from driver in the race Hans Heyer. OK, so the recreation of the 'Red Pig' is a shadow of the real thing but it still sounds pretty good.

For the real thing though you need to watch this.

 

[Sources: Mercedes-AMG and smiggyRT all via YouTube]

[chelme]

Who cares about the AMG?? It was all about the giant killing Alfas...oh and the BMWs and Capris...

[Oddball RS]

Slow news week, again.

[moskvich427]

Enjoyed that... did I see the rear end of a Citroen SM in the night footage??!

[patmahe]

What an awesome photo

[dandare]

Almost all those cars look fantastic. I love the way they all drift around.
Did I see a Moskvich in the line-up, or was I dreaming?

[lamboman100]

Spa is just about the only exciting major circuit left in the world right now.

PH should do more articles on it. (And less on the cheesy Ring).

[Dan Trent]

Oddball RS said:

Slow news week, again.

Assuming that were the case, which it isn't, I'm curious as to what you'd suggest we do? Sit back and not put anything up on the home page at all? Go home early?

And the clue is in the title too - it's just a little shared vid clip to accompany an afternoon brew. Sorry it wasn't to your tastes this time around.

Cheers,

Dan

[TobesH]

I want to go back in time, now where did I put that Tardis?

[Mr.Jimbo]

The little yellow alfa burning oil on (presumably) lap 2 made me smile, wonder if it went the distance?!

[GC8]

lamboman100 said:

Spa is just about the only exciting major circuit left in the world right now.

PH should do more articles on it. (And less on the cheesy Ring).

Spa today is to the Spa here as the MINI is to the Mini. About one quarter of the current circuit is shared with the original, with everything else being new.

The Nordschleife has a far greater claim to authenticity, with only a small portion being lost to the new GP circuit.

[wotnot]

Love the guy leaning out of his window in touching distance of the track!

[Oddball RS]

Dan Trent said:

Oddball RS said:

Slow news week, again.

Assuming that were the case, which it isn't, I'm curious as to what you'd suggest we do? Sit back and not put anything up on the home page at all? Go home early?

And the clue is in the title too - it's just a little shared vid clip to accompany an afternoon brew. Sorry it wasn't to your tastes this time around.

Cheers,

Dan

Wow Handbag! how about find something that you haven't used before or is not posted by retro motorsport on FB, and if its not a quiet news week why are you asking me for ideas?