Bucket list item: Racing through Eau Rouge
When you are a fan of autosport, it must be on your bucket list: Driving in a racecar through the Eau Rouge corner on the famous track of Spa Francorchamps. Most of the F1 drivers will tell you this is the most exciting and beautiful corner of all tracks around the world. Downhill, full throttle and when you are down the hill, a quick left and right and the still trying to keep the throttle down... and then the climb all the way up the hill. Next to an experienced race driver, his ‘ Home ground’ I visited the track an drove next to him at full racing mode through this corner. First left was way over the curbs, you could feel the curb edges and then full throttle up the hill taking some of the curbs on the left top corner. You can feel the push of the climb, and the engine is at maximum power to get up the hill. After this corner, all the other corners on the track are less exciting, but still the Pouhon and Campus corners with their long flowing corners are exiting to take right on the limit of the tires. I could feel the tires were reaching their limit because it feels like there are small marbles underneath the tires that make the car wobble a bit. After several laps around the track at full speed, you also get even more appreciation for the F1 drivers. Driving at full racing speed, attacking every corner at the right speed and angle is already a challenge. Add to it tire wear management and making changes to the brake balance, fuel settings etc... wow. That’s quite a challenge. After this great experience I can check mark this bucket list item, and tell you: It’s definitely worth it.
Spa Karting: mini version of race track
Maybe less known, but also very exciting is the official Spa Karting track. It’s located within the full course track of Spa. It’s a small copy of the Spa track, but it has no Eau Rouge corner of course. But it’s one of the best outdoor tracks that I have raced on. The flow of corners is great and exciting. The twisting S corner before the strait is a challenge, to come out of it with maximum speed. And there is a real slow 180 degree corner, where you need to brake but also keep up the revs in order to keep your speed. It was a challenge to maintain speed and not lose grip by cornering this corner. During the sessions I managed to set the fastest time of the day just a few ten’s of seconds behind the track records for rental go karts. I really enjoyed the high speed and nice flow of corners. So if you go there, take not of this really nice karting track.
More info
Spa Karting: mini version of race track
Maybe less known, but also very exciting is the official Spa Karting track. It’s located within the full course track of Spa. It’s a small copy of the Spa track, but it has no Eau Rouge corner of course. But it’s one of the best outdoor tracks that I have raced on. The flow of corners is great and exciting. The twisting S corner before the strait is a challenge, to come out of it with maximum speed. And there is a real slow 180 degree corner, where you need to brake but also keep up the revs in order to keep your speed. It was a challenge to maintain speed and not lose grip by cornering this corner. During the sessions I managed to set the fastest time of the day just a few ten’s of seconds behind the track records for rental go karts. I really enjoyed the high speed and nice flow of corners. So if you go there, take not of this really nice karting track.
More info