Discussion
We arrived early Friday afternoon and camped at Eau Rouge campsite, a Dutch owned family site near Stavelot, it's about half an hours walk from the circuit, and that's the far end of the track from the pits / main complex, but it's an atmospheric walk up the old track. The drive in from motorway is also along old track, through the Masta kink which is pretty staggering to imagine being taken flat out. It's also possible to drive to the entrance gate, there was a charge on the Friday and Saturday though, think it was 8 euros.
The campsite was full mostly of Dutch families, with a few groups of race fans, clean showers and toilets, small bar with frites and lasagne available, I'd stay there again.
We went up to the track once set up, the ticket booth was closed, it's an odd set up at that gate, there's a barrier across the road inside the track which we couldn't get past without wristbands, but we were free to walk around up to that point, including some overflow paddock for the GT4s. We watched the qualifying from campus / stavelot, there were several groups of Germans camped on the bank there, no camping tickets needed, no toilets or showers either though.
We did see some odd marshaling at that end of the circuit, one post spent the whole of qualifying having a chat with their backs to the track (in an exposed spot, not behind catch fencing). On the Saturday morning a Porche retired from the GT4 race at the same post & pulled into a safe place behind the barriers, 5 minutes later the marshals strapped the car to the back of a fire pick up and towed it back onto the track into the middle of the race and pottered off back towards the pits! Bizarre, but having said that the marshaling at Eau Rouge / Radillon during the carnage of Saturday night was excellent.
The race itself was superb, as others have said, slightly hard to follow without English commentary, there were updates in English on the PA every now and then, but a car goes past at the wrong point and you're non the wiser. We spent the most time in the covered stand on the old pit straight, the big screen made following the race a bit easier. Very easy track to get round, for those like me who've not been before Eau Rouge is mind blowing, the forested areas of the track are very atmospheric.
Anyone thinking of going should, not sure whether I'll be at the 24 next year, but I will at some point, I've already decided to to the WEC there next year though.
The organaisers clearly have no interest in promoting the race for some reason, the website only goes live a couple of weeks before the race, we couldn't buy tickets when qualifying was on, there's a fairly shambolic air around the place, but it's charmingly shambolic, I'm guessing those who miss Le Mans from the 'old days' would love it. (We didn't go in the paddock or the F1 pits area, it's probably shinier and slicker in there)
15 hour drive back to Scotland through huge storms and on shocking Belgian motorways, and a closed M20, but well worth it.
The campsite was full mostly of Dutch families, with a few groups of race fans, clean showers and toilets, small bar with frites and lasagne available, I'd stay there again.
We went up to the track once set up, the ticket booth was closed, it's an odd set up at that gate, there's a barrier across the road inside the track which we couldn't get past without wristbands, but we were free to walk around up to that point, including some overflow paddock for the GT4s. We watched the qualifying from campus / stavelot, there were several groups of Germans camped on the bank there, no camping tickets needed, no toilets or showers either though.
We did see some odd marshaling at that end of the circuit, one post spent the whole of qualifying having a chat with their backs to the track (in an exposed spot, not behind catch fencing). On the Saturday morning a Porche retired from the GT4 race at the same post & pulled into a safe place behind the barriers, 5 minutes later the marshals strapped the car to the back of a fire pick up and towed it back onto the track into the middle of the race and pottered off back towards the pits! Bizarre, but having said that the marshaling at Eau Rouge / Radillon during the carnage of Saturday night was excellent.
The race itself was superb, as others have said, slightly hard to follow without English commentary, there were updates in English on the PA every now and then, but a car goes past at the wrong point and you're non the wiser. We spent the most time in the covered stand on the old pit straight, the big screen made following the race a bit easier. Very easy track to get round, for those like me who've not been before Eau Rouge is mind blowing, the forested areas of the track are very atmospheric.
Anyone thinking of going should, not sure whether I'll be at the 24 next year, but I will at some point, I've already decided to to the WEC there next year though.
The organaisers clearly have no interest in promoting the race for some reason, the website only goes live a couple of weeks before the race, we couldn't buy tickets when qualifying was on, there's a fairly shambolic air around the place, but it's charmingly shambolic, I'm guessing those who miss Le Mans from the 'old days' would love it. (We didn't go in the paddock or the F1 pits area, it's probably shinier and slicker in there)
15 hour drive back to Scotland through huge storms and on shocking Belgian motorways, and a closed M20, but well worth it.
FredericRobinson said:
We arrived early Friday afternoon and camped at Eau Rouge campsite, a Dutch owned family site near Stavelot, it's about half an hours walk from the circuit, and that's the far end of the track from the pits / main complex, but it's an atmospheric walk up the old track. The drive in from motorway is also along old track, through the Masta kink which is pretty staggering to imagine being taken flat out. It's also possible to drive to the entrance gate, there was a charge on the Friday and Saturday though, think it was 8 euros.
The campsite was full mostly of Dutch families, with a few groups of race fans, clean showers and toilets, small bar with frites and lasagne available, I'd stay there again.
We went up to the track once set up, the ticket booth was closed, it's an odd set up at that gate, there's a barrier across the road inside the track which we couldn't get past without wristbands, but we were free to walk around up to that point, including some overflow paddock for the GT4s. We watched the qualifying from campus / stavelot, there were several groups of Germans camped on the bank there, no camping tickets needed, no toilets or showers either though.
We did see some odd marshaling at that end of the circuit, one post spent the whole of qualifying having a chat with their backs to the track (in an exposed spot, not behind catch fencing). On the Saturday morning a Porche retired from the GT4 race at the same post & pulled into a safe place behind the barriers, 5 minutes later the marshals strapped the car to the back of a fire pick up and towed it back onto the track into the middle of the race and pottered off back towards the pits! Bizarre, but having said that the marshaling at Eau Rouge / Radillon during the carnage of Saturday night was excellent.
The race itself was superb, as others have said, slightly hard to follow without English commentary, there were updates in English on the PA every now and then, but a car goes past at the wrong point and you're non the wiser. We spent the most time in the covered stand on the old pit straight, the big screen made following the race a bit easier. Very easy track to get round, for those like me who've not been before Eau Rouge is mind blowing, the forested areas of the track are very atmospheric.
Anyone thinking of going should, not sure whether I'll be at the 24 next year, but I will at some point, I've already decided to to the WEC there next year though.
The organaisers clearly have no interest in promoting the race for some reason, the website only goes live a couple of weeks before the race, we couldn't buy tickets when qualifying was on, there's a fairly shambolic air around the place, but it's charmingly shambolic, I'm guessing those who miss Le Mans from the 'old days' would love it. (We didn't go in the paddock or the F1 pits area, it's probably shinier and slicker in there)
15 hour drive back to Scotland through huge storms and on shocking Belgian motorways, and a closed M20, but well worth it.
The paddock was good as it meant you can still get a coffee at 0200ish The campsite was full mostly of Dutch families, with a few groups of race fans, clean showers and toilets, small bar with frites and lasagne available, I'd stay there again.
We went up to the track once set up, the ticket booth was closed, it's an odd set up at that gate, there's a barrier across the road inside the track which we couldn't get past without wristbands, but we were free to walk around up to that point, including some overflow paddock for the GT4s. We watched the qualifying from campus / stavelot, there were several groups of Germans camped on the bank there, no camping tickets needed, no toilets or showers either though.
We did see some odd marshaling at that end of the circuit, one post spent the whole of qualifying having a chat with their backs to the track (in an exposed spot, not behind catch fencing). On the Saturday morning a Porche retired from the GT4 race at the same post & pulled into a safe place behind the barriers, 5 minutes later the marshals strapped the car to the back of a fire pick up and towed it back onto the track into the middle of the race and pottered off back towards the pits! Bizarre, but having said that the marshaling at Eau Rouge / Radillon during the carnage of Saturday night was excellent.
The race itself was superb, as others have said, slightly hard to follow without English commentary, there were updates in English on the PA every now and then, but a car goes past at the wrong point and you're non the wiser. We spent the most time in the covered stand on the old pit straight, the big screen made following the race a bit easier. Very easy track to get round, for those like me who've not been before Eau Rouge is mind blowing, the forested areas of the track are very atmospheric.
Anyone thinking of going should, not sure whether I'll be at the 24 next year, but I will at some point, I've already decided to to the WEC there next year though.
The organaisers clearly have no interest in promoting the race for some reason, the website only goes live a couple of weeks before the race, we couldn't buy tickets when qualifying was on, there's a fairly shambolic air around the place, but it's charmingly shambolic, I'm guessing those who miss Le Mans from the 'old days' would love it. (We didn't go in the paddock or the F1 pits area, it's probably shinier and slicker in there)
15 hour drive back to Scotland through huge storms and on shocking Belgian motorways, and a closed M20, but well worth it.
What I love about about Endurance racing is you get to settle in to the circuit and feel it. Come as go as you please and generally dip in and out as needed. Spa didn't have any of the 'weirdness' that happens at silly o'clock at French Circuits IME. Though I've only been to Motorcycle Endurance Racing events at Paul Ricard, Le Mans and Magny Cours ( I see people moaning about Mad Friday for the cars.. tame, so v.tame...) and I'm getting too long in tooth for all that jazz at 0400
I've wanted to see Spa for years and I could have settled with just seeing Eau Rouge in the flesh, the wonderful rises and falls are utterly flattened by TV.
You can't beat a proper European Circuit, Brands is one of my faves too (but I'm biased). IMHO there's not a duff part of the track, no wonder drivers love it. I'd love to have seen the races back in the late 60s on the old circuit.The contrast between the old pits and stands vs the F1 is wonderful. The amplified noise at the top of the F1 pit side grandstand was great.
The marshals were from all over Europe what I could see.
Now a 24 WEC race at Spa would just be the icing on the cake six hours isn't long enough, as proved by the safety car in this race!
Did you see the Honda CRV, with blue lights and a wailing siren to cut through the traffic during one of the Safety Car runs? Very funny and more interesting than the Lambo.
As for tickets, I always buy in advance, its not worth the hassle. Then even if you leave your tickets at home, they'll still print you a set IME at Le Mans.
So, its now going to be an alternation over 2-3 years between 2 events each year:
Le Mans 24 Cars & Bikes.
Bol D'Or in 2015 at Paul Ricard, last time was 1999.
Spa 24 Hour
N24 - can't say the 24 hour bicycle event is really pulling me in
Silverstone 6 hour WEC if the sun shines, this year's rain was truly awful.
Great Dane said:
Marcus Mahey who had the worst of the crashes at this year's race has just been released from intensive care into a 'normal' hospital ward - nearly a month after his crash. It is hoped that he will soon be transferred to a hospital on Guernsey where he lives.
A friend went over to see him the other day, from Guernsey, and told me that Marcus (Mahy) is doing well and expects to be out in half the time they have suggested, exercising in bed and feeling good. Loss of memory of the accident.Very lucky fella...
>Martini...LB
MartinixxxLB said:
A friend went over to see him the other day, from Guernsey, and told me that Marcus (Mahy) is doing well and expects to be out in half the time they have suggested, exercising in bed and feeling good. Loss of memory of the accident.
Very lucky fella...
>Martini...LB
Even better newsVery lucky fella...
>Martini...LB
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