When choosing the place of competition, Henry van Ofem and Jules de Thiers had cheated. Nearby was the famous mud resort of Spa, where wealthy tourists from all over the world vacationed. Their presence could have made the races in Belgium famous throughout Europe. And so it happened. Despite the fact that in 1921 only one racer applied for participation, just three years later, in 1924, a 24 hour endurance race was held where dozens of athletes competed. The circuit was paved and the great Belgian Grand Prix took place as early as 1925. These races were the forerunner of the post-war Formula 1 series, which came to Belgium in 1950.

Speeds were increasing and the large length of the track began to raise questions. For example, it was easy to run over a chicken or crash into a farmhouse! That’s what happened in 1966 to rider Jackie Stewart at the Belgian Grand Prix. He lost control, went off the track and rammed into a peasant’s barn! Despite the driver suffering with broken arms and legs, the circuit management undertook the construction of a new circuit in 1972, fully complying with the new FIA requirements. A modern 7 km-long circuit was built next to the historical route.

Spa-Francorchamps has retained its character. The new circuit is as fast as ever and abounds in elevation differences, making for an interesting race. But most importantly, Francorchamps has a variable climate. Clouds come from the Ardennes mountains and it can rain unexpectedly on the racers, which adds spice to the competition.

The Belgian Grand Prix, Formula 1, DTM, GP2 and motorcycle races are held at Spa-Francorchamps.

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The track to this day almost unchanged. It also passes through a tunnel and a sea harbor, where high-speed sections, alternating “hairpin” and a series of mountain turns with altitude differences. In the harbor, the pilots risk flying into the water. It is not surprising that in the 20s Prince Louis II ordered to pay special attention to safety. Already in the 20s, the first bumpers appeared, but two pilots in the history of the Circuit de Monaco still swam in the harbor.

In general, despite the tortuosity and the abundance of blind spots, the circuit in Monte Carlo is considered one of the safest. Only two pilots died here during all the races.

This is due to the special attention paid to the construction of the sports facility and the strict compliance with the regulations of the Automobile Association. As a result, the Monaco Grand Prix has achieved a very special aristocratic status and become the crown jewel of F1 since its early years. Today, the Circuit de Monaco is on the calendar of nearly every prestigious championship, including Formula 1, GP2 and others.

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Already in 1922 the first version of the track was put into operation. Its length was 14 kilometers. Monza indeed turned out to be the fastest in Europe. Bolides raced here more than 200 kilometers per hour. Accidents began. Many pilots ended their days in Monza, however, Italy came out in the leaders of Motorsport and rubbed the nose not only of the French, but also the Germans. At Monza shone engineer Enzo Ferrari and strengthened the glory of his machines.

Meanwhile, because of safety requirements in 1938-39, it was necessary to reconstruct the site. Because of the long distance rescuers did not always have time to reach the victims. The length of the track was reduced to 6.3 km. A 2,000-seat grandstand, concrete fence and 30 service boxes were built.

The Monza circuit is still considered the fastest in Formula 1. On August 25, 2005 Juan-Pablo Montoya drove his McLaren to a Formula 1 speed record of 372.6 km/h during test runs. It also recorded the highest overload of 5g experienced by a driver when decelerating from 300 km/h to 80 km/h.

Monza is loved by mechanics and engineers, because it’s the engineers who win races here, not the drivers. In Monza, there are a lot of straight lines, where the leading role played by engines, aerodynamics and suspension settings. The outcome of the Grand Prix depends on how the mechanics and technicians work.

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