What is so special about Spa?

[klassykid9801]

Ive raced it and i just cant see how it is the best or i cant see how its special.

 

[TankAss95]

Eau Rouge.

 

[Astro-Racer]

It has that sexy winding bit in the middle.

 

[Didi_Raikkonen]

Its down to personal preferance i suppose, try take a ferrari F1 around spa, if that doesnt make you love it then i guess your just not a fan of the circuit

 

[Downhill Dino]

Spa is an extremely old Belgian track. Built in the 1920s? 1918 maybe?It has been used multiple times for the World Manufacturers Championship (60s was it's prime time) and especially F1. Lots of people watch F1 and see this amazing track. It's in practically any other car game (That actually has circuit racing) out there. Who wouldn't want this magnificent historic track? This is just a little knowledge I know of it, so correct me anyone who sees something wrong.

 

[HKS racer]

Try to drive it clean using all track WITHOUT cuttin corners.

Spa is simply spectacular.

 

[column5]

Ive raced it and i just cant see how it is the best or i cant see how its special.

This was my first reaction as well. I think it becomes more interesting the faster your car is.

 

[Downhill Dino]

This may let you know why it's so popular. Read up!

 

[Menown]

The elevation changes and twisty nature make it challenging, also the weather in real life can change in seconds. I remember an F1 race, everyone getting ready for the parade lap, cut to commercials, come back, monsoon rain!!

 

[HKS racer]

 

[Techy]

Ive raced it and i just cant see how it is the best or i cant see how its special.

Spa's corner profile is quite unique. To describe, it is a twisty type, of which is naturally approached very quickly, esp. around Campus and Pouhon. Each corner also begins from a short straight, like Bruxelles. Then there's La Source into Eau Rouge and Kemmel Straight, into Les Combes. It's also a historical artifact, from its days in the early 1900s to now. Obviously it gained huge popularity in F1s.

 

[Mac K]

Nothing at all..

 

[Accro2008]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-hXjerSPMw
spa in 14 seconds ...

 

[martinseber]

First video watch from 12:30 and you will have your answer

 

[Nish]

I had the same feeling as OP but I can see why people love it simply for it's history. I think it's a C+ track at best as eau rouge and the chicane after it are the only good part's of the track to me, as the rest has no rhythm to me. PD did create it beautifully though.

 

[MARcFuLLa]

 

[crooky369]

It's part of the holy trinity of F1.



Senna, Spa and a V12.

 

[neil1280]

I love the fast bends but the really slow chicanes bore my life

 

[Brock1Samson9]

Its a classic, and the last of its kind. Look at the majority of tracks that F1 and LMS/WEC go to each year, most of them are so boring and sterile. Even Le Mans for the most part is a mere shadow of its former self, the essess between start/finish and Tertre Rouge used to be spectacular (watch the old Steve McQueen film "Le Mans" and you'll get an idea of the changes).
Spa is one of the few remaining circuits that feels organic, shaped by nature and hapenstance, not by Herman Tilke with a computer. In real life Spa is an immense challenge, the game doesn't quite pay it justice without the wildly random weather patterns seen every year at the real circuit. Add the atmosphere, the history, the feel, and the challenge together and for those who know there isn't a more awe inspiring track in the world.

 

[XPLOSV]

Its a VERY technical track.
The elevation changes are spectacular, as are the corner radiuses.

It is by far the most spectacular track to watch motorsport. So I guess its a special place for those who are keen on motorsport.

Its also a difficult track to get right as the corners are very technical.

For anyone who feels this track is not that special, I challange you to compare your lap times with some of the faster guys on here.

 

[gtuned]

If you don't like Spa, you must also be the kind of person to think that Volvo 240 Estates are useless and uncool cars aswell.
Spa is one of the most historic and fun tracks of all of Motorsports.

 

[Devedander]

That first uphill right...

 

[Jason_B]

It's very difficult to be fast there. Unfortunately the game really doesn't give you the visual feel of the elevation changes like Laguna Seca because it is so wide. That and the AI takes it way to easy through there.

It's a great addition but I would love to see it have more atmosphere like the video's of the 24 hour.

To be fast you have to sport a set and be able to control them once they drop.

 

[Cosbuster]

I'd say everything about it.

 

[Morgoth_666]

Its a classic, and the last of its kind. Look at the majority of tracks that F1 and LMS/WEC go to each year, most of them are so boring and sterile. Even Le Mans for the most part is a mere shadow of its former self, the essess between start/finish and Tertre Rouge used to be spectacular (watch the old Steve McQueen film "Le Mans" and you'll get an idea of the changes).
Spa is one of the few remaining circuits that feels organic, shaped by nature and hapenstance, not by Herman Tilke with a computer. In real life Spa is an immense challenge, the game doesn't quite pay it justice without the wildly random weather patterns seen every year at the real circuit. Add the atmosphere, the history, the feel, and the challenge together and for those who know there isn't a more awe inspiring track in the world.

Actually, Spa is a mere shadow of its former self as well, even if you ignore the long old circuit. Was it Tilke who ruined it with his computer or was it someone else? I can't remember. But in either case it is now just a bland super smooth track with parking lots everywhere, and the new chicane at the end is simply awful.

Don't get me wrong, I love Spa. It is still one of the great circuits in the world, but a bit less so than even just a few years ago. It still feels like you are going somewhere, but it feels more like you are doing so in a well designed and very safe driving park rather than on roads running through the forest.

And to top it all off, they keep talking about shortening it even more, when they're not talking about pulling it from the F1 schedule entirely.

 

[Catlin]

If you dont know the answer to that question then you simply dont know anything about motorsports

 

[toolo4sno]

Elevation changes, high speed, history.

Unfortunately the elevation changes only transfer from GT5 visually. I imagine the feel of Eau Rouge/Raidillon live in an F1 chassis is a whole other sensation.

While you can race anything there; it probably is more fun the faster the car (X2010 may be limit). I race open cockpit primarily so those are typically pretty fast. It's pretty wide; so it's easier to pass then say a Nurburgring Nordschleife. Not necessarily a track apples to apples, but easier to pass none the less. Of course wheel shake on an F10 can make a football pitch seem narrow. And that is plentiful at Spa.

 

[sumbrownkid]

^It's also really fun with LMP and Super GT cars.

I think we can all agree what makes this track special, is that it is the newest track added to the GT family.

 

[Bigbazz]

Spa is one of the last of the old tracks (even though the original long circuit is gone). It is a unique track in a beautiful location that has hosted some of the most historic and memorable events in motorsport history.

Alongside that, the track promotes great racing with quite a few overtaking spots, a good dynamic of sections that tests a car and its driver in many areas. The obvious gem of the circuit is Eau Rouge, but that doesn't take away from the rest of the track which has many challenges that seperates the average drivers and the truly fast drivers. With all that said, the track is still fairly friendly to the non expert to get to grips with and so can be popular to the more casual of drivers.

 

[kimi123]

It is fast, long, has overtaking, track width is also good, fast corners. SPA is amazing track