From the start, the corner at La Source comes very quickly and is a hairpin that is
taken in 2nd gear at around 40 mph after which drivers have two long straights that
are separated by Eau Rouge - which amounts to a small kink in the circuit.
Accelerating to 180 mph along the first section, Eau Rouge can be taken in 6th gear
with only a slight loss of speed (165 mph) as it goes downhill and then uphill left,
right, and left. Cars exit at Raidillon and then encounter the fastest part of the
course along the Kemmell straight at 190 mph.
As the track bears round slowly to the right, there exists good overtaking
possibilities at Les Combes due to the wide run-off areas. The right-left
combination chicane is taken in 3rd gear and 85 mph and is exited at Malmedy, which
is a right-hander taken at 100 mph. |
| Rivage is a virtual hairpin which, due to being off camber and downhill, causes
cars all sorts of steering problems. It is approached in 4th gear at 155 mph, taken
in 2nd at 60 mph and exited in 3rd at 110 mph. Out of Rivage the cars sweep along a
short straight at 155 mph before the track veers left at 90 mph and on to Pouhon at
100 mph, a double left-hander. Also off camber, it is entered and exited in 4th
gear at an average of 140 mph. On exit, cars power through the gears to 180 mph
before slowing at Fagnes - a right-left chicane which is taken in 3rd gear at 100
mph. |
| Stavelot is a double right-hand loop, turning the cars through 180 degrees as
they go downhill. Entered in 3rd with 4th (135 mph) being engaged in the middle,
but it is bumpy and cars tend to skip about a bit as cars speed-up to 150 mph on
exit. Blanchimont is a long, sweeping left-hander taken full-out in 6th gear at 185
mph. With the Start-Finish line almost in sight, Bus Stop Chicane appears, a sharp
right-left-right chicane that slows the cars right down to a 2nd gear 45 mph before
they emerge on to the pit straight at 170 mph. |
