Spa 2016 GP Road trip

[The Mean Machine]

Am going with a friend in his 997 Carrera S and sharing the driving. We are going via Channel Tunnel and driving to Leige on Friday and staying there with commute to circuit on Saturday and Sunday. Have seating in the Chicane(Bus stop) grandstand.
It is a circuit that I have always wanted to visit as it is a classic circuit quite unlike the modern characterless purpose built circuits.
I would welcome any tips as have not done this sort of thing before, specifically on parking on site , catering facilities, suggested routes etc?
Also looking for secure parking in Liege, train station looks good and we are staying near to this, has anybody used this?
I am aware that Spa has a reputation for unpredictable rain storms so will be packing a waterproof jacket!

[sandman77]

The Mean Machine said:

Am going with a friend in his 997 Carrera S and sharing the driving. We are going via Channel Tunnel and driving to Leige on Friday and staying there with commute to circuit on Saturday and Sunday. Have seating in the Chicane(Bus stop) grandstand.
It is a circuit that I have always wanted to visit as it is a classic circuit quite unlike the modern characterless purpose built circuits.
I would welcome any tips as have not done this sort of thing before, specifically on parking on site , catering facilities, suggested routes etc?
Also looking for secure parking in Liege, train station looks good and we are staying near to this, has anybody used this?
I am aware that Spa has a reputation for unpredictable rain storms so will be packing a waterproof jacket!

I went to spa a number of years ago with general admission tickets. It was great. After watching the cars at eau rouge for a while we went to the end of the long straight to see and hear them at full pelt. We didn't stay there for long as it was hurting our ears. Ended up sitting on a very steep and rocky hill at pouhon.

I cant really help with any of your questions but I am very envious of you. I would love to go back some time.

[paulguitar]

sandman77 said:

The Mean Machine said:

Am going with a friend in his 997 Carrera S and sharing the driving. We are going via Channel Tunnel and driving to Leige on Friday and staying there with commute to circuit on Saturday and Sunday. Have seating in the Chicane(Bus stop) grandstand.
It is a circuit that I have always wanted to visit as it is a classic circuit quite unlike the modern characterless purpose built circuits.
I would welcome any tips as have not done this sort of thing before, specifically on parking on site , catering facilities, suggested routes etc?
Also looking for secure parking in Liege, train station looks good and we are staying near to this, has anybody used this?
I am aware that Spa has a reputation for unpredictable rain storms so will be packing a waterproof jacket!

I went to spa a number of years ago with general admission tickets. It was great. After watching the cars at eau rouge for a while we went to the end of the long straight to see and hear them at full pelt. We didn't stay there for long as it was hurting our ears. Ended up sitting on a very steep and rocky hill at pouhon.

I cant really help with any of your questions but I am very envious of you. I would love to go back some time.

You certainly won’t get your ears hurt with the current cars!

I went in 2001 and it was a great experience. Did camping for the weekend, in a field full of crazy German and Dutch fans. Was living on the Atlantic coast of France at the time and went on the train, so I am afraid I can’t help with the route.

I don’t know whether things have improved, but back then the toilet facilities were genuinely shocking, so be prepared for that and take along your own toilet rolls! The weather can change very quickly, and be different from one side of the track to the other. Catering tends to be very basic, but the chips and mayo taste good.


Have a great weekend, OP.

[sparta6]

paulguitar said:

You certainly won’t get your ears hurt with the current cars!

+1
DAF turbo HGV trucks

[ThePlanner]

paulguitar said:

You certainly won’t get your ears hurt with the current cars!

I went in 2001 and it was a great experience. Did camping for the weekend, in a field full of crazy German and Dutch fans. Was living on the Atlantic coast of France at the time and went on the train, so I am afraid I can’t help with the route.

I don’t know whether things have improved, but back then the toilet facilities were genuinely shocking, so be prepared for that and take along your own toilet rolls! The weather can change very quickly, and be different from one side of the track to the other. Catering tends to be very basic, but the chips and mayo taste good.

Have a great weekend, OP.

I agree with what was said

Toilet/Shower facilities at camp sites are not good.
Also take a good pair of shoes for walking the track. Some of the ways around Eau Rouge are at best mud/rock tracks
A good lightweight waterproof jacket, it will rain
make sure you walk the track after the race especially Eau Rouge

Have a great weekend!

[Alicatt1]

And see just how fast a Unimog coasts backwards down Eau Rouge when cleaning the track between races.

It can be very wet and cold there


But it can also be as warm as toast

[The Mean Machine]

Thanks for information, photos and advice. Tickets arrived a few days ago so now seems almost real after booking it in December last year!

[Rob192]

I've wanted to go to this track for years and will finally be going on the Sunday.

First time driving in Belgium (rule of the right should be interesting) and have booked green area circuit parking. Unfortunately I will only be traveling in something hired and not a 997 Carrera S.

Obviously I'm under no illusions it's going to be busy but from a few searches it seems mixed on peoples previous experiences getting to/from the circuit. Some say it's dead simple, well sign posted, with plenty of marshals/police organising any chaos whilst others just sum it up as a nightmare and never again.

Can't wait though now and hopefully it all works out.

[Alicatt1]

Getting in was easy, getting back out was a bit of a mare, could not use the same route we used on the Sunday as the route we had used on Saturday, and man it was a torturous diversion of a route too. Then there was the Ferrari that had disassembled it's self after hitting something at speed and shut the snelweg down.

I had invited some friends from Shanghai to come over for the weekend and go to the race, made it a great time.



Those F1 cars can be a bit smokey under pressure...





Your typical British spectator...


Pundits are not much different

[DanSkoda]

I'm heading over on Wednesday, via a night in Ypres. Have on site camping booked from Thursday to Sunday at the track, hopefully the shower facilities aren't as woeful as previous reports have said, but I expect they will be.

Planning on walking round the track on Friday to see various viewpoints for free practice, but come race day I'll be in the stands at Eau Rouge. Hoping the mandarin Mini will be able to get us through Belgium and back on a tank of diesel!

[ellroy]

Rob192 said:

First time driving in Belgium

Be very, very wary. They are possibly the worst drivers in Western Europe.

[gtidriver]

Quick heads up, on the way back from Belgium the French have coned off the outside lane of the motorway and are diverting traffic off around a roundabout then heading you back on the motorway again. When you travel into Belgium and if this diversion is in place id look at coming back via lille,anyone remember the tailbacks a few years ago when the motorway was dug up and the road builders just left it, there where miles of jams.

[allegerita]

This looks like a semi-permanent deviation then. I had the same experience on my way from Oostende to Calais on the 10th and noticed it being still there on my return to B from Folkestone on the 12th last week. In dense traffic it adds at least 20 min to your travel time.

And the Gendarmerie do speed traps just before the TOTAL service station at the train exit in Calais. It’s 50 km/h there!

[onemorelap]

ellroy said:

Rob192 said:

First time driving in Belgium

Be very, very wary. They are possibly the worst drivers in Western Europe.

Where has that reputation come from?

We were in Belgium for a week last year including the GP and I didn't see or witness driving any worse than in other parts of Europe or the UK.

For those going to the GP its worth having a bit of a nosy around the Ardennes region if you get the chance. We stayed about 30 minutes away from the circuit and the scenery and roads were fantastic.

Tips for access.
We did a recce on Thursday p.m and figured that most of the campsites / traffic would be on the la source / kemmel straight side of the circuit. Our approach was via Stavelot village anyway so we parked down at the Stavelot tunnel entrance and walked from there.
We also used Thursday as an opportunity to have a drive around looking at the old circuit which is well worth it if that's your thing.

We drove straight in Friday / Saturday but obviously Sunday was busier. If you do go in this way then the fields should be ok if its dry but if not then get there early and park on the road as close as you can get.

We were fortunate that all three days were red hot so used Friday as the day to walk the circuit (anti clockwise) and look at the stalls etc to decide on a good spot. Saturday and Sunday we just chilled.
If you follow the perimeter of the circuit its a long slog but there is a tunnel at the bottom of Eau Rouge with an access road that takes you right across to the Stavelot tunnel if you want the quickest and flattest route between the opposite ends of the circuit.

Disappointingly the section from Stavelot to La source is no longer accessible unless you are in the grandstands.

[Norfolkit]

DanSkoda said:

I'm heading over on Wednesday, via a night in Ypres. Have on site camping booked from Thursday to Sunday at the track, hopefully the shower facilities aren't as woeful as previous reports have said, but I expect they will be.

Planning on walking round the track on Friday to see various viewpoints for free practice, but come race day I'll be in the stands at Eau Rouge. Hoping the mandarin Mini will be able to get us through Belgium and back on a tank of diesel!

We're heading over on the Shuttle early Thursday morning (a very early start from Norfolk), staying at F1 camping, 35 degrees forecast for Thursday, quali looks as if it could be wet, could shake up the grid a bit.

[BlimeyCharlie]

I've been twice, the last time was in 1999.

Drove in 1995, not difficult really.
Went in a mini bus in 1999, not the best experience but a good laugh once I'd gained the use of my legs again.

The circuit is really nice, lots of stalls selling crepes and fries.

Coulthard dominated the weekend in 1999, and I have to say that wherever I viewed the cars from, he was perfect. Shot a lot of video, and must do something with it soon.

Toilets were something of a shock. Didn't risk taking a sh*t in one of the portaloos, so kept it all in until reaching services on way home.

Have fun!

[longblackcoat]

onemorelap said:

Where has that reputation come from?

I used to live there and would say the reputation is entirely deserved. Very close driving on the motorway, suicidal levels of aggression, and minimal consideration of the conditions (it rains a fair bit in Belgium!)

The road fatalities per head are something like three times that of the U.K., though they've been falling in recent years.

Seriously, take care on the roads

[Hitby]

We've also decided at the last minute to head over and try out Spa as we've only been to Silverstone (this year and last). Can't wait although the drive from Middlesbrough is a bit of a trek. We're in green camping and we won't arrive until late on Friday so hopefully there'll still be people around to let us in!

Also, we need to pick our tickets up so we'll need to drive off the campsite on Saturday morning to go and collect them and then get back on. Has anyone been through this before? It'd be a nightmare to miss any racing on Saturday trekking around.

[longblackcoat]

Hitby said:

We've also decided at the last minute to head over and try out Spa as we've only been to Silverstone (this year and last). Can't wait although the drive from Middlesbrough is a bit of a trek. We're in green camping and we won't arrive until late on Friday so hopefully there'll still be people around to let us in!

Also, we need to pick our tickets up so we'll need to drive off the campsite on Saturday morning to go and collect them and then get back on. Has anyone been through this before? It'd be a nightmare to miss any racing on Saturday trekking around.

I've picked up tickets before from the booths at the edge of the circuit; there was no need to drive anywhere, though your setup may be different.


https://www.belgium-grand-prix.com/en/ticket-colle...

[Hitby]

Thanks, we're camping in the green area on the opposite side of the track to the collection office so unless there's a route round the outside of the circuit (miles?) looks like driving might be the only option.