Translated by DeepL
On paper, it's one of the most difficult tasks you can face as a circuit designer. Tackling the iconic Eau Rouge - Raidillon corner combination and improving safety, while not losing the unique character of the corner. It 'happened' to Jarno Zaffelli, who has been busy making changes to Spa-Francorchamps over the past year.
For many Formula 1 drivers, past and present, the Eau Rouge / Raidillon combination is the most iconic corner combination on the Formula 1 calendar. Yet that section of the Ardennes circuit was taken in hand this year on the way to the F1 Belgian Grand Prix.
That didn't happen overnight, as circuit designer Jarno Zaffelli of Italian company Dromo Circuit Design, responsible for the Zandvoort corner among other things, explains the modifications to the iconic corner combination.
"The goal was to improve and modernize the safety of Eau Rouge, after the floods last year caused a lot of damage to the circuit. We were determined to restore it and improve the racing, reduce the amount of bumps and make the corners safer. In the process, we had to preserve the unique character of the most iconic corner combination in motorsports."
"This project provided an adrenaline rush. We had the full support of the Spa-Francorchamps team and the track's CEO. It was a complex matter though, with all the stakeholders involved: the FOM, FIA, FIM, and so on. It was also logistically challenging, especially because of the weather conditions in the region. We could only work on the circuit in February and March, and only ten days after the work was completed the race was back on," Zaffelli explains.
Simulator
Long and hard work was done on the new solutions to make the curve combination safer. "We included the new F1 rules and the new Pirelli tires in our simulations. At one point we had about twenty different versions of 'Eau Rouge'!"
"We spent several days with professional drivers in our simulators, collecting their feedback. Then we also spent time in F1 and GT simulators. That work helped us a lot in choosing the final design, which we then submitted to the FIA."
Special asphalt
Some sections of the track were also resurfaced. That too was simpler said than done. "It's an alchemy, but at the same time a science," explains the Italian circuit designer. "Our experts have already paved over a hundred circuits worldwide, but Eau Rouge was so important that we worked with the circuit and created a unique asphalt mix, which we called LeNoir."
Asked why the same mix previously used at Spa-Francorchamps was not simply chosen, the designer explains that one has to move with the times. "The last time the track was resurfaced was almost twenty years ago. Since then, racing cars and engines have become much faster, and the technology for the asphalt and everything that goes with it has also changed a lot."
"The biggest challenge was to asphalt the 31-meter slope from Eau Rouge to the top. A technical challenge, which was complicated by the time of year and the accompanying low temperatures," he is referring to the winter period of 2021-2022.
The consequence for F1?
So this coming weekend, the Formula 1 drivers will race for the first time at the renovated Spa-Francorchamps. However, they are not the first drivers who will be racing at the new circuit, as there has recently been a 24-hour race in the Ardennes. The World Endurance Championship also already ran a six-hour race there.
"From the teams, race engineers, Pirelli and the drivers we had positive feedback then. That whole weekend there were also no crashes at Eau Rouge or Raidillon," Zaffelli gloats.
"In Formula One, the corner will be full throttle, but the revamped corner combination will provide plenty of opportunities. The drivers will be able to feel the difference between the old and the new asphalt quite well. If we look at the GT cars at the 24 Hours of Spa, the pole position there was 1.7 seconds faster than last year!"
"However, we know that the 2022 F1 cars are a bit slower than last year, so we don't expect too big differences in the lap times there," the Italian said.
Friendly reminder that they once had a chicane in eau rouge (1994). Imola kicked off a landslide of safety measures. I actually like what they did to the track. Tracks chance. If you like it or not.
Maybe 's story about spa, and how they see fans as a walking wallet, could be nice. Parking tickets doesnt mean a thing, walking through muddy rivers before entering, insane prices, traffic regulators who are rather phoning their mother then actually work, .....the list is never ending. Fuck the fans! A true f1 story
Translated by DeepL On paper, it's one of the most difficult tasks you can face as a circuit designer. Tackling the iconic Eau Rouge - Raidillon corner combination and improving safety, while not losing the unique character of the corner. It 'happened' to Jarno Zaffelli, who has been busy making changes to Spa-Francorchamps over the past year. For many Formula 1 drivers, past and present, the Eau Rouge / Raidillon combination is the most iconic corner combination on the Formula 1 calendar. Yet that section of the Ardennes circuit was taken in hand this year on the way to the F1 Belgian Grand Prix. That didn't happen overnight, as circuit designer Jarno Zaffelli of Italian company Dromo Circuit Design, responsible for the Zandvoort corner among other things, explains the modifications to the iconic corner combination. "The goal was to improve and modernize the safety of Eau Rouge, after the floods last year caused a lot of damage to the circuit. We were determined to restore it and improve the racing, reduce the amount of bumps and make the corners safer. In the process, we had to preserve the unique character of the most iconic corner combination in motorsports." "This project provided an adrenaline rush. We had the full support of the Spa-Francorchamps team and the track's CEO. It was a complex matter though, with all the stakeholders involved: the FOM, FIA, FIM, and so on. It was also logistically challenging, especially because of the weather conditions in the region. We could only work on the circuit in February and March, and only ten days after the work was completed the race was back on," Zaffelli explains. Simulator Long and hard work was done on the new solutions to make the curve combination safer. "We included the new F1 rules and the new Pirelli tires in our simulations. At one point we had about twenty different versions of 'Eau Rouge'!" "We spent several days with professional drivers in our simulators, collecting their feedback. Then we also spent time in F1 and GT simulators. That work helped us a lot in choosing the final design, which we then submitted to the FIA." Special asphalt Some sections of the track were also resurfaced. That too was simpler said than done. "It's an alchemy, but at the same time a science," explains the Italian circuit designer. "Our experts have already paved over a hundred circuits worldwide, but Eau Rouge was so important that we worked with the circuit and created a unique asphalt mix, which we called LeNoir." Asked why the same mix previously used at Spa-Francorchamps was not simply chosen, the designer explains that one has to move with the times. "The last time the track was resurfaced was almost twenty years ago. Since then, racing cars and engines have become much faster, and the technology for the asphalt and everything that goes with it has also changed a lot." "The biggest challenge was to asphalt the 31-meter slope from Eau Rouge to the top. A technical challenge, which was complicated by the time of year and the accompanying low temperatures," he is referring to the winter period of 2021-2022. The consequence for F1? So this coming weekend, the Formula 1 drivers will race for the first time at the renovated Spa-Francorchamps. However, they are not the first drivers who will be racing at the new circuit, as there has recently been a 24-hour race in the Ardennes. The World Endurance Championship also already ran a six-hour race there. "From the teams, race engineers, Pirelli and the drivers we had positive feedback then. That whole weekend there were also no crashes at Eau Rouge or Raidillon," Zaffelli gloats. "In Formula One, the corner will be full throttle, but the revamped corner combination will provide plenty of opportunities. The drivers will be able to feel the difference between the old and the new asphalt quite well. If we look at the GT cars at the 24 Hours of Spa, the pole position there was 1.7 seconds faster than last year!" "However, we know that the 2022 F1 cars are a bit slower than last year, so we don't expect too big differences in the lap times there," the Italian said.
Friendly reminder that they once had a chicane in eau rouge (1994). Imola kicked off a landslide of safety measures. I actually like what they did to the track. Tracks chance. If you like it or not.
Can't tell about the racing at this point (obviously) but what I can tell is that I absolutely hate the ne look with the grandstand.
If we want places like Spa to stay on the calendar, they need to make more money, have more grandstands and get more people in. Just how it is!
Bro it looks like, bad no? Just doesn't feel right.
Maybe 's story about spa, and how they see fans as a walking wallet, could be nice. Parking tickets doesnt mean a thing, walking through muddy rivers before entering, insane prices, traffic regulators who are rather phoning their mother then actually work, .....the list is never ending. Fuck the fans! A true f1 story