Spa WED 2020 - Camping locations?

[mgmark]

Hi Folks,

My lad is treating me to a trip to the WEC round at Spa next year, as he can't make it to Le Mans. Never been to the circuit before, always wanted to.

Grateful for any tips on watching the race there, the extent of where you can go with a GA ticket, and particularly camping at or near the circuit.

Thanks

MG Mark

[Canada Phil]

Hi Mark,
            I finally made it to Spa this year.  Just a regular sports car race so not able to tell what restrictions WEC will put on access. Probably not let you in the Paddock. There is certainly some camping right at the circuit. There is a path around most of ,if not all ,the track. Good walking shoes as path is very steep in places but smooth surface. I hope the sun shines for you like it did for us as very picturesque setting.

Phil

[trusty]

Hi Mark,
Your in for a real treat, must have a word with my son and get him to treat me, Spa is an amazing circuit. We there in September to see the Spa 6hr Classic. As an alternative to camping have a look at the Holiday village at Domaine long Pre, Stavelot reasonably priced and a great place to go back to if it’s been a wet day, the weather at Spa is very unpredictable and I would take full waterproofs just in case.
A suggestion might be to see the Start of the race from the grandstands over locking the pits and then walk anti clockwise round the circuit, most of the paths are paved in concrete. There are some great places to view the racing, I particularly liked watching the racing at Bruxelles hair pin, the spectator area is on a raised bank over looking the track an offers a great place to take photographs.
Enjoy your trip
Dave

[championaudi]

Hi Mark
Spa is MEGA!!
My 1st time this year to WEC at Spa & providing you have a good warm coat (when it snows..) & a polo shirt (when its sunny....) all in the 1st hour...….!! together with a walked in pair of boots you should be fine
GA tickets get you all the grandstands including above the pits (bar /restaurant area above the pits on race day you have to buy tokens, redeemable against food /drinks but 2/3rds of it are free access)
Access to around all the Spectator areas of the circuit with an absence of Le mans type corporate hospitality areas getting in the way
The big plus for me was the vast areas that are AM photographers friendly, with many areas above the dreaded catch fencing
I've  booked to go back already 

[Bob U]

Hi Mark. You are in for a treat, you’ll love it. The views of the circuit are magnificent. The usual crew will be there again next year Jason, Woolley, Karl, Marius, Doris and a few others. We get there mid morning on the Friday and bail out on Sunday morning. We camp on car park 3 in the woods which is about 300 metres from the Eau Rouge entrance. The paddock is open to the public on the Friday for the autograph session. We usually watch the start at Eau Rouge and then wander of round the circuit, stopping at all the bars of course, and the watch the end from the bar above the pits, which is the Paddock Club for the F1 races. Great views from there. You are most welcome to join us if you decide to camp. Karl and Tom are both ex RAF and we would all benefit from them having a senior officer present to make them behave and act their age.

[Lawnmower Man]

Don't listen to them Mark.

I went a few times in the 80s and then again in 2016, 2018 and this year.

This year it snowed.  That did make the track look far more picturesque than normal.   (It's difficult to believe that's possible though.)

There are far too many good places to watch from and in many places your higher than the debris fence.  It's almost unrestricted as far as where you can view from.  You'll also find it's a long walk if you want to get away from a bar.   Unfortunately there are not any restrictions on getting in to the Paddock so you can find that a bit of a distraction.

The Camping in P3 is shall we say primitive but we have been able to make do.  (This year I cheated and stayed in B&B mostly because of the cold and Snow [It doesn't fit with my condition. :-) ])

You will leave hating yourself for not going sooner.  So it may be better to stay home.
t

[elanman]

I went to the Belgian GP at Spa in 2012 and whilst the event was a bit disappointing compared to LM the circuit was fantastic and agree with everything other have said about viewing.   A WEC race should give time to walk all the way round the circuit during the race, like we do at Silverstone, not possible during a F1 race and probably too crowded anyway.

Considering going myself as is my B'day and first day as a Civvy for a (very) long time so worthy of celebrating. 

[Kev_mk3]

Best way to see Spa is from the track 

[mgmark]

Thanks for the info, all v. useful and encouraging. Primitive camping us fine - I can remember Houx in the days of a pig trough with taps and two long drops. Proximity to bars and the access to pretty much everything with a  GA ticket sounds ideal.