Bike races at Spa?

[Drive Blind]

Have bikes ever raced at Spa?

or it is seen a traditional 'car' circuit?

a quick google and 'tube search show very little mention of bike races. Should Spa be looking to attract bike races especially as Spa's future is being put into doubt with the introduction of new circuits fighting to get on the F1 calendar?

[ChiChoAndy]

Moto GP or WSB through Eau Rouge would be a sight and 3/4...

[Sam the Mut]

track days http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cusvIoGofw

[_gez_]

There is a 24Hr race there every year.

Edit: Looks like it has dropped off the World Endurance Championship - which is a shame. As you can guess it normally rains - imagine the skill required to ride around there in the middle of the night in the rain.

Edited by _gez_ on Sunday 28th August 22:44

[kiteless]

GP bikes raced at Spa for many years, but not on the current circuit layout.

They raced on the old 15km long track through the villages of Burnenville / Malmedy / Masta etc on the local roads. Much faster than the current track, the fastest average speed for a GP bike was 137mph by Barry Sheene in (IIRC) 1977. Henri Pescarolo did the same track in a Matra MS670 (??) at an average of 165mph.

The old circuit:

[Ahonen]

There was certainly a 500 GP there as recently as the Wayne Gardner era, which I guess is mid to late '80s.

I've been involved in Belgian race series for years and I've seen numerous bike track days at Spa while we've been setting up our pit boxes for the weekend. Just watching fast road bikes accelerating down to Raidillon from Source makes the hairs on your neck stand up - the speeds are incredible.

Edit: Here's one from '85 with Mamola, on board. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wF1NohkTlc

Edited by Ahonen on Sunday 28th August 23:32

[jurbie]

Here's the 1988 Belgium GP at Spa. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjKHioONJys I've no idea when it was last held there though.

[Life Saab Itch]

There's onboard practice footage from Mike Hailwood's bike on youtube.

There is a corner on the old track called Hollywell. iirc it is named after one of the first racers to be killed at the circuit, Bill Hollywell, a biker in the late '20s.

[Use Psychology]

kiteless said:

Much faster than the current track, the fastest average speed for a GP bike was 137mph by Barry Sheene in (IIRC) 1977. Henri Pescarolo did the same track in a Matra MS670 (??) at an average of 165mph.

can't have been very bumpy then.

[YorkshirePudding]

_gez_ said:

There is a 24Hr race there every year.

Edit: Looks like it has dropped off the World Endurance Championship - which is a shame. As you can guess it normally rains - imagine the skill required to ride around there in the middle of the night in the rain.

Edited by _gez_ on Sunday 28th August 22:44

I went every year from 1998-2002 (IIRC last ran in 02 but could be wrong), fantastic race, unlit at night as well.


Flat out in the dark and rain in to Eau Rouge,

[anonymous-user]

yeah 500's ran there most years, should be some videos on youtube

[kiteless]

Ahonen said:

There was certainly a 500 GP there as recently as the Wayne Gardner era, which I guess is mid to late '80s.

I've been involved in Belgian race series for years and I've seen numerous bike track days at Spa while we've been setting up our pit boxes for the weekend. Just watching fast road bikes accelerating down to Raidillon from Source makes the hairs on your neck stand up - the speeds are incredible.

Edit: Here's one from '85 with Mamola, on board. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wF1NohkTlc

Edited by Ahonen on Sunday 28th August 23:32

fksocks



See! A bank holiday Sunday, with one Jamesons too many and I forget that 500cc bikes did race at new Spa. To add insult to injury, I've got a video of the 1985 season with on-board Randy at Spa