Changes to Eau Rouge/Raidillion

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Changes to Eau Rouge/Raidillion

#1

Post by erwin greven »

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#2

Post by erwin greven »

The organisation says, the changes won't be as shown on social media. But lets discuss about the changes.

I would love to have the corner being not flat out anymore. Just like the late 90's.
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#3

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

erwin greven wrote: 2 years ago The organisation says, the changes won't be as shown on social media. But lets discuss about the changes.

I would love to have the corner being not flat out anymore. Just like the late 90's.
Well it looks like itis much tighter so hopefully will not be the flat out easy that it has become. Its difficult to see exactly what it islike from what we see. I guess only when we see an onboard will will see exactly the nature of the changes.

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#4

Post by Star »

erwin greven wrote: 2 years ago The organisation says, the changes won't be as shown on social media. But lets discuss about the changes.

I would love to have the corner being not flat out anymore. Just like the late 90's.
I'd like it to go back to being the major challenge it used to be for the drivers. So long as that is how it works out.
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#5

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erwin greven wrote: 2 years ago The organisation says, the changes won't be as shown on social media.
Hope it's not too dissimilar as that looks like the perfect solution (the yellow line) to bring it more in line with how drivers had to take it until the 90s.
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#6

Post by Picci »

It looks like the change they're going to make is subtle enough such that it won't ruin Spa's heritage.... or from what I'm reading, enhancing it by bringing it back to how it was. I don't really remember a time when they didn't attempt Eau Rouge flat out (my first recollection of a race at Spa was in 1998) but I've seen onboards from the early 90s (below is a screenshot I took onboard Riccardo Patrese's Williams) and it looks like the kink on the left (and the fear of the barrier) is more protruded and what appears to have slowed them down a bit more than today


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#7

Post by MonteCristo »

Picci wrote: 2 years ago and it looks like the kink on the left (and the fear of the barrier) is more protruded and what appears to have slowed them down a bit more than today


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Or at the very least the kerb is higher, so they don't just straight-line it!

Once again, raised kerbs are the answer...
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#8

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#9

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

The changes to Spa cover much more than Eau Rouge/ Radillion

Plenty of major winter works are underway at Spa Francorchamps circuit to revamp the track..... run-off areas being enlarged and gravel traps installed at five corners: La Source, Raidillon, Blanchimont, Les Combes and Stavelot.

This article has a status of all the works in place, and there are lots of photos showing the work.

Spa Francorchamps Works Progressing

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#10

Post by SBan83 »

So chuffed about having gravel traps back at those corners. Though I do hope the gravel begins right from the edge of the track limit and not beyond meters of asphalt runoff...
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#11

Post by Michkov »

Since they want FIM races back I doubt that. They are the major driver behind the asphalt beyond the track edge as far as I an tell not the FIA.
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#12

Post by ReneLotus »

I really thought they would be widening the run-off at Raidillon, but looking at the pics in the link it appears they demolished the chalet in order to put another grandstand in its place.
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#13

Post by Picci »

At least the new works don’t look too intrusive to the current ciruit layout. They seem conscious on preserving its heritage. Also good to see them investing in it. I seem to remember in the mid 2000s they had a lot of local Govt funding problems so the fact that they demolished that villa (and paying off their owners) sounds to me like they’ve got the backing they need now..
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#14

Post by PTRACER »

Eau Rouge was fine as it was. Getting rid of the massive kerbing and adding the gravel traps would have slowed them down enough.

I do find the re-adding of gravel traps interesting though. I believe they were removed for the 2001 race and were steadily added to every single circuit in the world. And now here we are 20 years later putting things back the way they were.
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#15

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Some updates and photos of Eau Rouge / Radillon.

Image


As we know the track's safety improvements are mainly aimed at obtaining a FIM Grade C licence, which is needed to host the returning Spa 24 Hours for motorbikes, which will be held in June this year. But larger run-offs and new gravel traps are also set to benefit car racing in the wake of a series of serious accidents across Formula 2, W Series and the Spa 24 Hours across the past two years.

Image

the run-off reworking of the Eau Rouge and Raidillon combination has drawn the most interest. Contrary to false rumours on social media, the original layout remains intact, but the tarmac run-off areas on both sides will be expanded.

Due to the difficult terrain, particularly on the right-hand side behind the endurance pit exit, enlarging the tarmac run-off is an elaborate project, but the works on the left-hand side of the track are proving to be even more extensive.

Late last year the iconic Raidillon chalet was demolished, making room for a new, covered grandstand with 4,600 seats as well as VIP boxes which is scheduled to be completed by April.

Image

La Source and Les Combes are some of the corners earmarked for gravel run-offs, with Turn 1's astroturf exit giving way to a gravel trap in an enlarged run-off area. At Les Combes and Malmedy the guardrails are being moved to provide space for a larger escape area and the tarmac will replaced by a gravel trap.

Finally, Blanchimont is also getting the same treatment with an enlarged run-off area, gravel traps and a new service road. The extremely fast left-hander has been the scenes of several scary accidents over the years and is now receiving updates to improve safety for both bikes and cars.

Image


The way it looks at the moment is clearly (hopefully) very unfinished and wont look anything like it does. Going off at the exit of Eau Rouge as it curves right towards Radillon looks like being the last place on earth I would want to go off, and a hefty impact with the brriers is inevitable...... particularly on a bike.

Obviously too early to judge anything yet.... wait until all the work is done for that moment.

Photos and much of the info used to put together this post are from Autosport.
A synopsis of this https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/spa-r ... e/7087562/

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