WEC Spa

[Robin Hod]

Watching 2 Aston pit stops from the Aston Garage, was f***ing awesome at Silvierstone. Now I can't wait to lose my Spa cherry in 2 weeks! with some of the great friends, that I've shared so many Le Mans, intoxicated, awesome times!!

[wishy]

Bob......out on the 8am Dover - Dunkirk ferry on Friday morning as usual

[mgmark]

Sadly not, but definitely on the "to do" list one year....

MG Mark

[Jason]

Ferry just booked (late due to work uncertainties). But will arrive for the first session on Friday

Timetable:
Free Practice 1   Thu 30th Apr - 12h00
Free Practice 2   Thu 30th Apr - 16h30
Free Practice 3   Fri 1st May - 15h00
Qualifying - LMGTE   Fri 1st May - 19h30
Qualifying - LMP       Fri 1st May - 20h05
Race         Sat 2nd May - 14h30

[Barry]

For those of us staying in Blighty and watching on the TV, those times are local, not UK.

[Canada Phil]

Sadly not, but definitely on the "to do" list one year....

MG Mark

My thoughts exactly Mark definitely on the to do list one year.
See you in France
Phil

[Boorish Grobian]

Agreed Phil, Spa has always been right at the top of my bucklist.  Going back to when I was a teenager in the seventies, Spa was someplace almost mythical to me, the true cathedral of speed.  The old long circuit is still my all-time favorite, true road racing, a circuit for the gods.  The reconstruction in 1979 should be the gold standard by which all contemporary circuit modifications should be measured.  My goal is to someday get there for the 6 Hours, or 24 Hours, and spend a day driving the old circuit.  I'd like to stop and have a beer & frites along the Masta Straight. That would be nirvana.
Fax

[Kristof]

Agreed Phil, Spa has always been right at the top of my bucklist.  Going back to when I was a teenager in the seventies, Spa was someplace almost mythical to me, the true cathedral of speed.  The old long circuit is still my all-time favorite, true road racing, a circuit for the gods.  The reconstruction in 1979 should be the gold standard by which all contemporary circuit modifictaions should be measured.  My goal is to someday get there for the 6 Hours, or 24 Hours, and spend a day driving the old circuit.  I'd like to stop and have a beer & frites along the Masta Straight. That would be nirvana.
Fax

If you need a guide, let me know !

Spa is (and will ever be) an epic track, to watch a race and to drive on it yourself.  Getting up the Raidillon and through Blanchimont is always a fight with your car, lap after lap.  I still think though it's a shame they changed the layout of the bus-stop to the new chicane and the approach coming out of Blanchimont.  Getting rid of almost all gravel traps didn't do any good to the track either.  Raidillon, Bruxelles, double lefthander after Pouhon, pif/paf were all more challenging before with almost no room for error.  Now it's a concrete desert thanks to the F1 dwarf with his idiots who can't stay on track with their ugly go-carts.

[Boorish Grobian]

Absolutely Kristof, you will be the first person I contact when the day comes to start planning the trip.
As mentioned, Spa Francorchamps is a mecca of the sport for me.  My best friend went to the 1987 Belgian GP when he spent a couple of years working for Honeywell-Measurex in the Netherlands back in the eighties.  He also drove over to Spa for the bike GP, and accidentally found himself driving on the circuit, not realizing the race meeting had been cancelled because some safety mods had not been carried out.
I once spoke to Kenny Roberts about Spa, his first season in GP's was the last year they raced on the old circuit, he said it was exhilarating, but utterly terrifying at the same time.  That's something coming from someone the status of KR.
One other item of interest for my wife & I visiting the Ardennes, would be that her grandfather fought in the Battle of the Bulge. It would nice to see some of the historic venues from the Ardennes Offensive.
May have to pick up some La Chouffe on the way home from work tonight...
Fax

[Steve Pyro]

May have to pick up some La Chouffe on the way home from work tonight...
Fax

Good plan John. Try the Houblon Chouffe - a heavy weight IPA than needs a comfy chair to enjoy at it's best.

[Boorish Grobian]

Will do Steve, the local grocery store stocks the standard La Chouffe pale ale, but over by CVG there's a place that stocks all the Brasserie d'Achouffe beers. I tried the McChouffe a few weeks ago when my father-in-law was in town, outstanding! The weather has started to get warm and muggy, perfect IPA weather. When I leave work today I will cruise by and pick some up.
Fax

[Jason]

As I understand it, friday is a public holiday and no shops (beer suppliers) will be open. Is this correct?

[Kristof]

As I understand it, friday is a public holiday and no shops (beer suppliers) will be open. Is this correct?

Correct.
A few smaller shops might be open before noon (Carrefour market, AD Delhaize) but the big ones will be closed.

[landman]

Myself and Robin The Hod are doing Spa in a "Silky Boys" style.

Flying LGW to Lux on the Friday, out Friday night with Luxexpat and Ben-In-Lux for a couple of liveners.

Travelling up on Sat morning to watch the race in what promises to be a scorching hot, rain free day of eventful motor racing washed down with a couple of sips of Jupiler and an occasional frites with sauce Andaluce.

Departing some time after the race back to Lux and then fly home to LGW on Sunday.

 

[Maximum]

@ Wishy.

No spare  old fridge left at my home this year.

Should i still bring the gerny with me ??