The work on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit will be colossal, and it has already started in view of the 1 Belgian F2022 Grand Prix, but also to accommodate motorcycles as part of the 24 hours of Spa Francorchamps, which will take place on June 4 & 5, 2022. The Raidillon de l'Eau Rouge is notably one of the points which will be significantly revised.
Work to secure the Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium has begun and a page in the history of the Belgian track has been turned with the demolition of the legendary chalet which has stood above the Raidillon since 1985.
This chalet, which belonged to the EBRT (East Belgian Racing Team), was destroyed to make way for a new grandstand which will be built above the Raidillon in the coming weeks as part of the “motorcycle project” launched by the circuit of Spa Francorchamps and which aims to secure the track in different places in order to obtain a Grade C license from the International Motorcycling Federation with a view to the return of motorcycle racing.
As part of this project, the vast majority of the circuit's runoff areas will be reviewed, with gravel traps installed in five key turns (la Source, le Raidillon, Les Combes, Stavelot and Blanchimont), although More or less significant modifications will also affect all the bends on the route.
In addition to securing the route, the project also aims to increase public reception capacity with the construction of new stands, including one in place of the EBRT chalet which was destroyed this week. In total, 13 additional seats will be added, thus doubling the capacity of the circuit in this area.
Lovers of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit will have been sad to see the photos of the chalet in complete destruction, so that the work can move forward, including the construction of the grandstand, and the removal of the barriers.
A step back which should avoid, if all goes well, the cars bouncing on the track during accidents which take place. These are the incidents which caused the death of Anthoine Hubert in 2019, but also the injuries to Jack Aitken this year in GT and a terrible accident in the W Series in August.
