Next on the F1 calendar, in the heart of the Ardennes forest of Belgium, is Spa Francorchamps.
For many years, dear to the hearts of the F1 fan, this circuit presented perhaps the greatest challenge for man and machine at the pinnacle of motor sport. Variable weather – which can see bright sunlight on a dry track at Malmedy or Stavelot, whilst it pours in the pits with rivers on Radillon – only adds to the drama (or sense of dread!) for the driver.
I wonder though: is Spa still King or now overthrone? (sic). It's surely a top five F1 circuit; but which are the other four?
A driver's perspective:
I believe Spa has lost its edge as the king of modern circuits, due to advances in aero'; but it is still awesome through Blanchimont, where one senses the Grim Reaper's gaze from the trees. Truly, it continues to be one of his most hopeful hideouts…
Bottoming out at Eau Rouge is like pressing 'launch' on a Saturn 5 rocket. Radillon takes off faster than an inverted bungee: up five storeys in 2 secs, here a driver experiences a change of almost 3G vertically! (1.5 G in the first second before the same negative G over the top); all whilst being thrown side to side with massive left-right-left G before the semi-suicidal, 'I think I want to die like this', 170+mph (275+kph) totally blind (no reference points) summit, requiring the bottle of a loony.
(Hello Kimi)
I wish I could work out how to put a picture here. Anyway, please click on the link below. It's a shot taken from close to the top of Radillon, looking down towards the approach to Eau Rouge (which is technically where the stream flows under the circuit at the bottom); and is so deep it is actually hidden from view. It really illustrates something a TV can never show: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30450273@N06/4945741733/in/photostream/
Monaco is often thought of as a circuit where a driver can make one of the biggest differences but the slow and twisty circuit has nothing to compare for sheer roller-coaster thrills.
However,…
… beating them both, and in my opinion, the greatest present day challenge to F1 drivers is – Suzuka !
For many years, dear to the hearts of the F1 fan, this circuit presented perhaps the greatest challenge for man and machine at the pinnacle of motor sport. Variable weather – which can see bright sunlight on a dry track at Malmedy or Stavelot, whilst it pours in the pits with rivers on Radillon – only adds to the drama (or sense of dread!) for the driver.
I wonder though: is Spa still King or now overthrone? (sic). It's surely a top five F1 circuit; but which are the other four?
A driver's perspective:
I believe Spa has lost its edge as the king of modern circuits, due to advances in aero'; but it is still awesome through Blanchimont, where one senses the Grim Reaper's gaze from the trees. Truly, it continues to be one of his most hopeful hideouts…
Bottoming out at Eau Rouge is like pressing 'launch' on a Saturn 5 rocket. Radillon takes off faster than an inverted bungee: up five storeys in 2 secs, here a driver experiences a change of almost 3G vertically! (1.5 G in the first second before the same negative G over the top); all whilst being thrown side to side with massive left-right-left G before the semi-suicidal, 'I think I want to die like this', 170+mph (275+kph) totally blind (no reference points) summit, requiring the bottle of a loony.
(Hello Kimi)
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I wish I could work out how to put a picture here. Anyway, please click on the link below. It's a shot taken from close to the top of Radillon, looking down towards the approach to Eau Rouge (which is technically where the stream flows under the circuit at the bottom); and is so deep it is actually hidden from view. It really illustrates something a TV can never show: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30450273@N06/4945741733/in/photostream/
Monaco is often thought of as a circuit where a driver can make one of the biggest differences but the slow and twisty circuit has nothing to compare for sheer roller-coaster thrills.
However,…
… beating them both, and in my opinion, the greatest present day challenge to F1 drivers is – Suzuka !
- - -o0o- - -
- Perhaps some may disagree? If so, I'd be very interested to hear counter-arguments.
- Does anyone have another circuit which should be included to make up the whole handful?
