Reasons to love Spa, number 2,547...
The Belgian government has granted Spa Francorchamps a provisional operating licence to continue its motorsport activities until 2011.
The historic circuit's permission to run motorsport activities was suspended in September, after an environmental impact study undertaken by the circuit failed to satisfy the noise complaints of nearby residents.
Spa has been operating on a temporary licence since then - after a direct appeal by circuit owner Pierre-Alain Thibaut to the Belgian Council of State - but the threat of closure has been ever-present.
That changed on Monday when Wallonian minister for regional planning and development, Philippe Henry, granted the circuit a licence to operate until March 2011.
The licence will hopefully be extended beyond that, but only on the basis of significantly reduced noise levels - the circuit will be subjected to a wide-ranging noise pollution study.