Spa 24

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boxedin

Original Poster:

1,354 posts

127 months

Wednesday 4th August 2021
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Truckosaurus said:
freedman said:
...Denied only by the safety car....
It seems to defeat the object of having the FCY/Code60/VirtualSafetyCar speed limit if you are going to bunch everyone back up behind the Safety Car for a lap or two before the restart.

I believe the official reason is to allow the tyres to warm up but it would probably be safer to allow the race to restart with everyone spread out.
I must admit whilst watching I was thinking is it time to bin off the Safety Car for all Endurance racing?

They could have a FCY at higher speeds for a couple of laps before release?

MusNuts

4 posts

34 months

Wednesday 27th July 2022
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Heading over tomorrow morning. Whilst I've been to the F1 at Spa, its my first time at going to the 2hr.
I've got an apartment in Spa, but does anyone know the situation re parking charges - website just says purchase on arrival (which I'm thinking the usual fields around the track)

kalexan273

145 posts

116 months

Wednesday 27th July 2022
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When I've been in the past the Thursday and Friday you could park within the track car parks. Race day you had to park in the fields, it seemed only pre-purchased or corporate tickets were allowed into the hard standing car parks. Though the last one I went to in 2019 we rented a chalet in Francorchamps and walked to the circuit each day.

If the whole circuit is open you can get up into the bar/buffet area overlooking the bus stop chicane, again on the Saturday you have to pay for entry.

Parade day was today, seems as busy as usual in Francorchamps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wD3r74CZrk

I guess maybe Rossi taking part will bring more people to the event this year? Fingers crossed it's a dry weekend.



Edited by kalexan273 on Wednesday 27th July 21:54

hunter 66

3,909 posts

221 months

Wednesday 27th July 2022
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Travel issues meant late arrival so sadly missed the drive into town . looks very busy

FredericRobinson

3,719 posts

233 months

Thursday 28th July 2022
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Parking is also available at Les Combes if that end of the circuit suits, and I presume along the road up from Stavelot

FredericRobinson

3,719 posts

233 months

Thursday 28th July 2022
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Might even make it into the track at some point if they get round to opening the gates and ticket booths

FredericRobinson

3,719 posts

233 months

Friday 29th July 2022
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FredericRobinson said:
Parking is also available at Les Combes if that end of the circuit suits, and I presume along the road up from Stavelot
Or maybe not by the side of the road, has been fine in the past but the police have ticketing today

boxedin

Original Poster:

1,354 posts

127 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
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Bonjour. Mr Robinson.

I drove past the circuit yesterday to check out the parking. As you say there's parking by the camping at Les Combes and that's it. I'm hoping the fields get opened up today otherwise its going to be a pain.

FredericRobinson

3,719 posts

233 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
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Bonjour, nice day for it, hope ‘it’ isn’t a 24 hour safety car parade, races so far this morning haven’t been too encouraging though.

Also, grown adults who come to a race meeting and ignore the racing to stand in the paddock hoping The Doctor will wave at them on his way past are wierdos

boxedin

Original Poster:

1,354 posts

127 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
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Ha. I suspect the Belgian plated VR 46 car I saw yesterday will be there in a yellow homage.

Yup, great weather at the moment.

The field car parks are open, all is well!

boxedin

Original Poster:

1,354 posts

127 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
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FCYs are popular...

As were punctures in the first hour and a bit.

It's nice to see the Beechdean AMRs out there.

gazza5

818 posts

106 months

Sunday 31st July 2022
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Cant believe the weather, looked at going in 2019 but didnt, couldnt make this year work, and its lovely sunshine.


FredericRobinson

3,719 posts

233 months

Monday 1st August 2022
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Uncoordinated thoughts-

Much better race than I feared, the yellow flag and safety car routine is still a massive frustration in SRO racing. , but there was no more of it than usual, the additional gravel didn’t turn it unwatchable.
Changes to Spa mostly good, new grandstand at Radillon is excellent, glad to see the East Belgian Racing Team have retained a spot, It’ll look a lot better when the run down the hill from La Source is finished.
Odd how many locals don’t return on the Sunday, especially given how late the race starts in the day. There’s a lot of people buying a ticket to watch 4 or 5 hours of a 24 hour race.
Still the best bargain in motorsport, even with the ticket going up 10 euros to 55 since 2019, 45 euros to camp.
The car with the dullest livery out of 66 won.
The historics were glorious, Lamborghini Super Trofeo looks good but never seems to produce good racing, 2 French junior single seaters on the bill was a bit much.
Valentino Rossi has a lot of fans who really should have grown out of that sort of carry on by the age of 13, hope he doesn’t do Le Mans, can’t be doing with all that.

freedman

5,419 posts

208 months

Monday 1st August 2022
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Incredible drive from Tandy (in particular) and Vanthoor to get the 47 from stone last to the lead, and look like a real contender. Unsure what there issue was in the last few hours, they just didn't seem to have any pace, and a shame they lost 6th on the last lap.

The Sky Mercedes, WTF were they doing all race?

Crashing into the back of another car under the safety car, nearly turning the eventual; winner around by a ridiculous late dive into the pits plus at least two other incidents they were clearly at fault for. I'm surprised they weren't excluded TBH

Red Firecracker

5,276 posts

228 months

Monday 1st August 2022
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FredericRobinson said:
Valentino Rossi has a lot of fans who really should have grown out of that sort of carry on by the age of 13, hope he doesn’t do Le Mans, can’t be doing with all that.
It was if the 'Fernando Effect' in WEC had been turned up to 11!

There were fans who had paid the extra for paddock access who spent the entire weekend camped outside the WRT garage just to catch a glimpse of their hero. However, as a mark of the man, when I left the circuit at 7:15 last night, Rossi was right in amongst them (security barriers permitting), signing autographs and posing for pictures, with a beaming smile on his face and no sign of rush or hurry. His fans were impeccably behaved as well (that I saw).

It's a big beacon for any Series that wants to expand its popularity over and above what normal PR methods can achieve. Identify a sportsman outside of its particular area (2 wheels to 4, in this case) with a massive fanbase that will follow their idol anywhere, and get them onboard, especially if they show an element of competitiveness.

(I'll take 'Rossi-mania' over 'Fernando-mania' any day)

Truckosaurus

11,322 posts

285 months

Monday 1st August 2022
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It is certainly a good boost for the series (plenty of people in Rossi gear at the Brands Hatch round earlier in the year).

I suspect the 'super-fans' won't return once Rossi moves onto bigger things (hypercar ?) but hopefully some of the others will have enjoyed the events enough to come back in the future.


FredericRobinson

3,719 posts

233 months

Monday 1st August 2022
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freedman said:
Incredible drive from Tandy (in particular) and Vanthoor to get the 47 from stone last to the lead, and look like a real contender. Unsure what there issue was in the last few hours, they just didn't seem to have any pace, and a shame they lost 6th on the last lap.

The Sky Mercedes, WTF were they doing all race?

Crashing into the back of another car under the safety car, nearly turning the eventual; winner around by a ridiculous late dive into the pits plus at least two other incidents they were clearly at fault for. I'm surprised they weren't excluded TBH
Why did the KCMG car start last? Didn’t see anything about a penalty, so problems in qualifying? I saw something that they were struggling with tyres at the end of stints, great performance by them given all that

FredericRobinson

3,719 posts

233 months

Monday 1st August 2022
quotequote all
Truckosaurus said:
It is certainly a good boost for the series (plenty of people in Rossi gear at the Brands Hatch round earlier in the year).

I suspect the 'super-fans' won't return once Rossi moves onto bigger things (hypercar ?) but hopefully some of the others will have enjoyed the events enough to come back in the future.
He’s said he’s staying in the series next year, presumably with Audi, then Audi GT3 at Le Mans 2024 I guess

freedman

5,419 posts

208 months

Monday 1st August 2022
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FredericRobinson said:
Why did the KCMG car start last? Didn’t see anything about a penalty, so problems in qualifying? I saw something that they were struggling with tyres at the end of stints, great performance by them given all that
Brake issues in qualifying meant they couldn't set a time in every session, so were relegated to last on the grid

boxedin

Original Poster:

1,354 posts

127 months

Monday 1st August 2022
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I'm quite happy the Sunday had less visitors:
  • parking was a breeze, found a spot under the trees.
  • after sunning myself on the rubble between La Source and Eau Rouge I was glad to see lots of space in the shaded grandstand compared to Saturday's fullness ( double edged sword here, it was cold in the wind up there! - colder than the EWC race ).
  • rossi fans started queuing at the audi section as soon as the track opened for walking around.
  • its the baggi fans in my experience who are more aggressive, but in a nice way once you talk to them ;-)
  • he will always extend himself to the public and is a great ambassador for any motorsport series.
Bit of a shame the AMR got squeezed by the Merc, but these things happen...


Edited by boxedin on Monday 1st August 13:13