Some More Spa Shots

Maybe I have Spa on the brain because it's next up on the calendar.  Along with Monaco, it's the only Grand Prix I never miss on TV.  The tradition of "the best win at Spa consistently" continues: 5 wins each for Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, followed by Kimi Raikkonen's 3.

These shots are just to add some ambience and texture to my earlier post about Old Spa.  They include some shots of the segment of the course that was in use before 1971 and is still in use today.

New Spa (clockwise from left):  New Stavelot,  Blanchimont, Clubhouse, La Source hairpin, Eau Rouge, Kemmel Straight, New Les Combes (ess, lower right); Pouhon (the double-apex sweeper in the center).

1961 Belgian GP: Phil Hill leads Wolfgang Von Trips out of Raildillon onto the Kemmel Straight. The nearly flat-out Eau Rouge ess is concealed in the valley.  Ferrari 156's.  They finished in the same order.  This was Hill's World Championship year.  Von Trips's death in the last race of the year at Monza helped him clinch the title.

1965 Belgian GP: Richie Ginther, Honda RA-272, exiting Burneville.  Although the 272's 1.5-liter V-12 made massive power, the car was comparatively heavy and thus unsuccessful.  Ginther gave Honda its only GP victory in this era at the end of this season, in Mexico.

1966 Belgian GP: the remains of Jackie Stewart's crashed BRM in the Masta Kink.  This was the wreck mentioned in an earlier post that led to the passive safety movement in road racing.

1958 Belgian Grand Prix: Micahel Turner's painting of Tony Brooks's winning Vanwall on the Masta Straight.  There's a bit of artistic license here.  It's true enough that Masta is (mostly) flat, straight, and long--but it runs  through a valley.  You would not mistake it for the American midwest.

1971 1000 Kilometers: Pedro Rodriguez leads Derek Bell into the La Source hairpin in their Porsche 917's.  The exit of Club House is in the background.  This was the record-setting 156 m.p.h. sports car race.

1970 Belgian GP: Pedro Rodriguez's BRM P-153 in La Source.  He won this last Grand Prix held on the old course.

1967 Belgian Grand Prix (practice): Jim Clark's Lotus 49-Cosworth in the old pits.  The view is downhill toward Eau Rouge.  Colin Chapman (dark glasses) is concerned about something on the car.

1968 1000 Kilometers: Jacky Ickx and Brian Redman in the paddock.  This was Ickx's famous rain race in the Wyer-Gulf Ford GT-40, ably supported by Redman.  They were two of the most successful sports car drivers of their era.  Redman's expression in this picture is unusual.   He was and is famously outgoing and funny, which has led to a second career as a fast vintage car racer in the States who beats other racers regularly and then entertains them at  victory banquets.  He lives in Florida.  Ickx has lived in quiet retirement in Brussels for many years.  He held the record for Le Mans wins for decades, until recently surpassed by Audi driver Tom Kristensen.