The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps has been internet hosting motorsport competitors for over 100 years, after a newspaper proprietor laid out a racing circuit on a triangle of public roads linking three villages in 1921.
“It’s one of many very, best circuits,” stated Sébastien Buemi of Toyota Gazoo Racing, a five-time winner of the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, which is on Saturday.
The 6 Hours was first held in 1953 and has all the time been held on the observe on and off since, together with different sports-car competitions. It’s also the location of Formulation 1’s Belgian Grand Prix.
The size of the observe has additionally modified through the years and has been at its present measurement of just a little greater than 4 miles since 1982.
In 1985 the driving force Stefan Bellof was killed in an accident on the Eau Rouge curve, and after 1990 the occasion was discontinued. It was revived in 1999, grew to become a timed race in 2010, and since 2012 has been a part of the F.I.A. World Endurance Championship.
“Clearly, Spa and the observe has modified a good bit, by way of runoff areas, and Eau Rouge in historic photos seems totally different,” stated Will Stevens of Cadillac Hertz Workforce Jota, which gained the race in 2024. “But it surely’s a observe I’ve been driving for a very long time, in numerous totally different automobiles, and whichever automobile you go to that observe in it all the time feels particular to be driving round there.”
The aggressive nature of the W.E.C., and the resurfaced observe now offering extra grip, means the 6 Hours of Spa — regardless of its endurance standing — has developed right into a frenetic contest.
“Regardless that it’s a protracted race, it’s one of many shorter races of the 12 months, and we’ve three drivers for the automobile, so we do two hours every,” Stevens stated. “It’s mainly a flat out race from begin to finish, so though it’s an endurance race it’s like a dash race — the automobiles these days are excellent on reliability, so we will push the automobiles very exhausting.
“It’s essential qualify effectively, keep out of bother for the primary 4 to 5 hours of the race, and ensure you’re in a single piece for the ultimate hour of the race.”
Spa-Francorchamps is within the Ardennes, the place the climate can change right away. The 1975 race was shortened due to a storm, which occurred once more in 2002, whereas snow greeted drivers on race day in 2019, with some even falling in the course of the race.
“We examined there not too long ago, and we had lovely climate for 2 days,” Buemi stated in an interview final month. “It feels prefer it’s one of the best place ever when you might have good climate, the observe is clearly superb, it seems so inexperienced. However everyone knows generally it rains there, and some years in the past we had that snow and it was unbelievable pondering it was Could. You by no means know what to anticipate there.”
The circuit’s massive space can even introduce issues.
“It’s all the time a tricky race by way of technique,” Buemi stated, “as a result of the climate adjustments a lot and the observe is so lengthy that generally the observe is moist on one aspect and dry on the opposite, so it requires flexibility.”
Drivers even have one other competitors in thoughts when contesting the 6 Hours of Spa. There are eight occasions on the W.E.C. calendar, however Spa’s six-hour contest is the ultimate gathering earlier than the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, the centerpiece of the 12 months.
“I believe clearly the largest race of our calendar is Le Mans, and all of the races are a buildup to the largest race of the 12 months,” Stevens stated. “Spa being the race one straight earlier than it, and as circuit traits go it’s just like Le Mans, it’s all the time a great warm-up.
“So some folks have their eye on Le Mans, strive sure issues to maximise the package deal. However as a lot as we’re right here to win Le Mans, we additionally wish to end effectively on this race particularly because it counts in direction of the principle championship, and we wish to do effectively in all races and the championship. But it surely’s all the time good to construct confidence in direction of Le Mans.”
