- 4,517
- Vancouver, BC
My only complaint is that they didn't include the 60's version.
What is so special about Spa?
- Thread starter klassykid9801
- 138 comments
- 11,821 views
- 55
- redrkt
- redrktrc
- 4,517
- Vancouver, BC
Look at that beautiful Masta Kink. Dove downhill slightly with a house and guardrails on the exit. A man's corner. 
- 225
- United States
- GadgetGeek208
History is one reason Spa is so special. The track has been around in some form or another for almost 100 years. Wiki Spa-Francorchamps. It'll give you a bit of history about the place.
If you Google Earth Spa-Francorchamps, you can see where the old 14 Km course took a left down the hill at Les Combes and wound through the Belgian country side till it met back up with the what is now Turn 16 on the current course. All the stories I've ever seen or read from drivers that had driven the old course say it was super dangerous and quite a challenge. The modern circuit (7 Km circuit) came about in 1979.
It would be awesome if PD put the old Spa circuit in GT5!
I also think Spa is great because it's a naturally challenging course that doesn't feel like its trying too hard to be challenging. A lot of modern race tracks are being designed on computers to incorporate tricky triple and quadruple apex turns and man made elevation changes all in attempt to give drivers the same challenge as places like Spa and the Nordschlife... two tracks nestled in the Eiffel Mountains that were built many decades ago, without computers and just followed the natural lay of the land. That natural lay of the land is what makes a track like Spa so challenging for drivers and so fun for spectators.
Heck, even Monza is a challenge. Yes it's pretty flat and somewhat of a short circuit but with challenging turns like the two Lesmos, Ascari and Parabolica, it makes for a challenging lap.
What I'm getting at is, the old tracks from back in the day didn't shove a bunch of chicanes and multiple apex turns down drivers throats just to challenge them and their cars. Those same tracks from back then are the tracks most people want to see modern racing on in this day and age.
In GT5, Spa joins a long line of tracks that have a natural flow about them. Even the original tracks of the GT series are designed in such a manner to give you the sense of a race track laid on a piece of land that has nice elevation changes and turns that follow the natural lay of the land. There isn't any real "artificial" feeling course in GT5.
To draw a comparison, play F1 2010 or 2011 and drive on some of the modern F1 tracks. Bahrain, China, Malaysia, Turkey, Singapore and Abu Dhabi are courses that come to mind. Those tracks are the ones that are designed by one architect (Hermann Tilke) and he tries to incorporate weird turns and man made elevation changes into his track designs. Those tracks feel artificial. They end up just not having the same "it" factor as the older more historic racetracks. Gratuitous use of multiple apex turns and awful chicanes is what's the disappointment about some of these modern tracks.
Enjoy Spa in GT5. It really is a well done piece of work by PD.
If you Google Earth Spa-Francorchamps, you can see where the old 14 Km course took a left down the hill at Les Combes and wound through the Belgian country side till it met back up with the what is now Turn 16 on the current course. All the stories I've ever seen or read from drivers that had driven the old course say it was super dangerous and quite a challenge. The modern circuit (7 Km circuit) came about in 1979.
It would be awesome if PD put the old Spa circuit in GT5!
I also think Spa is great because it's a naturally challenging course that doesn't feel like its trying too hard to be challenging. A lot of modern race tracks are being designed on computers to incorporate tricky triple and quadruple apex turns and man made elevation changes all in attempt to give drivers the same challenge as places like Spa and the Nordschlife... two tracks nestled in the Eiffel Mountains that were built many decades ago, without computers and just followed the natural lay of the land. That natural lay of the land is what makes a track like Spa so challenging for drivers and so fun for spectators.
Heck, even Monza is a challenge. Yes it's pretty flat and somewhat of a short circuit but with challenging turns like the two Lesmos, Ascari and Parabolica, it makes for a challenging lap.
What I'm getting at is, the old tracks from back in the day didn't shove a bunch of chicanes and multiple apex turns down drivers throats just to challenge them and their cars. Those same tracks from back then are the tracks most people want to see modern racing on in this day and age.
In GT5, Spa joins a long line of tracks that have a natural flow about them. Even the original tracks of the GT series are designed in such a manner to give you the sense of a race track laid on a piece of land that has nice elevation changes and turns that follow the natural lay of the land. There isn't any real "artificial" feeling course in GT5.
To draw a comparison, play F1 2010 or 2011 and drive on some of the modern F1 tracks. Bahrain, China, Malaysia, Turkey, Singapore and Abu Dhabi are courses that come to mind. Those tracks are the ones that are designed by one architect (Hermann Tilke) and he tries to incorporate weird turns and man made elevation changes into his track designs. Those tracks feel artificial. They end up just not having the same "it" factor as the older more historic racetracks. Gratuitous use of multiple apex turns and awful chicanes is what's the disappointment about some of these modern tracks.
Enjoy Spa in GT5. It really is a well done piece of work by PD.
- 3,232
- Wales
Nice post, I enjoyed reading it and I agree entirely.
- 1,926
- Sherbrooke, Québec,
Mac K
Is it from the game? Cant really see since I'm on my phone. If so, we now have beer advertising in GT5, Stella Artois
- 139
- Pendowolf
- 1,194
- New York
- XSVterror16
- xsvterror16
Here's the replay from where this gif was obtained. It has the HUD that you want! =D
The gif has been generated by the ~44-48 seconds of the video.
- 5,184
- Phoenix, AZ
- nitrorocks
It's a legendary track that's been around since 1914 holding the 1000 KM of Spa, the 24 hours of Spa, and the Belgian GP. Also tons of other events
- 657
- Texas
- XizangM1
The track holds a 25-hour race
Because 24 hours obviously isn't long enough.
Because 24 hours obviously isn't long enough.
urunatural
Premium
- 261
- Piriapolis
- urunatural
- 26,911
- Houston, Texas, USA
- JMarine25
"What's so special about Spa?"
Are you bloody mad, mate (I know Americans don't say "bloody mad," but that's not the point)? Here's a quick reason why- over four miles of Grand Prix track goodness. You got decisive and deceptive corners. You got almost a little of everything. It's one of the most rewarding and most difficult tracks in the world to race on. And (at least to my knowledge) hasn't been smitten by the Hammer of Hermann Tilke to any degree or any severe degree. Oh, and that Gillet Vertigo race car? Yeah- it has home field advantage at long last. It's also another great European track, so a little more European flavor is added to GT5.
Unless you fancy the Nürburgring tracks more than Spa-Francorchamps, this is one of the greatest racing tracks in the world as well as one of my personal favorite race tracks. It's on the disrespectful side to a formidable track like this to ask "what makes it so special?" These are, at least, my reasons why you should care about this track and to show it a little more respect.
Are you bloody mad, mate (I know Americans don't say "bloody mad," but that's not the point)? Here's a quick reason why- over four miles of Grand Prix track goodness. You got decisive and deceptive corners. You got almost a little of everything. It's one of the most rewarding and most difficult tracks in the world to race on. And (at least to my knowledge) hasn't been smitten by the Hammer of Hermann Tilke to any degree or any severe degree. Oh, and that Gillet Vertigo race car? Yeah- it has home field advantage at long last. It's also another great European track, so a little more European flavor is added to GT5.
Unless you fancy the Nürburgring tracks more than Spa-Francorchamps, this is one of the greatest racing tracks in the world as well as one of my personal favorite race tracks. It's on the disrespectful side to a formidable track like this to ask "what makes it so special?" These are, at least, my reasons why you should care about this track and to show it a little more respect.
- 2,194
- Essex
- Huskyfluff
Something special that makes grabbing anything at all from the recommended cars list online, turning off every assist and your HUD, and just driving around in cockpit view...even if I spin, or eat gravel, it is more fun than any other track for pure driving 
- 4,117
- Netherlands
- skazz-race
- skazzracer
I first really learned the track in the demo for Simbin's original GTR race sim (with the very tricky tyre model from back then). Take a GT1 car, turn off all driver aids, and start pushing. You soon gain a healthy respect for the corners.
Spa is deceptive. You can drive around it cautiously without difficulty. But once you start pushing to the limit (especially on realistic tyres - GT5 default tyres are too much grip, so downgrade the tyres a notch) those off camber corners and downhill braking points take quite a bit of practice to get right. And nailing Eau Rouge in any fast car is a great feeling.
Spa is deceptive. You can drive around it cautiously without difficulty. But once you start pushing to the limit (especially on realistic tyres - GT5 default tyres are too much grip, so downgrade the tyres a notch) those off camber corners and downhill braking points take quite a bit of practice to get right. And nailing Eau Rouge in any fast car is a great feeling.
Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't see what the big deal is. I get the history, and that's cool, and I know a lot of the members here ride F1's nuts so hard they wish GT was "The Real F1 Simulator", but really?
Granted, I've only done a few laps on it so far...and a large part of the course is fun, but that one super-ridiculous-I-might-as-well-just-get-out-and-walk-low-speed chicane absolutely KILLS the course for me. Yes, the course is tough, I'd say the most difficult course in the game due to the low-speed corners and undulation, but extreme difficulty does not automatically equal extreme fun.
I'm reminded of the DanceDanceRevolution scene, where so many people put stupidly-hard, muscially-empty, no fun songs like the Max series on a pedestal, just because of the difficulty.
Looking at some of the maps of previous layouts, I can certainly say some of the historic versions would have been awesome...but this just doesn't do it for me. Most people who bought the Complete Pack look at is as paying for cars and tracks and the suits and paints are free; for me, I wanted the cars and paints, and the suits and tracks only cost me $2 more.
Granted, I've only done a few laps on it so far...and a large part of the course is fun, but that one super-ridiculous-I-might-as-well-just-get-out-and-walk-low-speed chicane absolutely KILLS the course for me. Yes, the course is tough, I'd say the most difficult course in the game due to the low-speed corners and undulation, but extreme difficulty does not automatically equal extreme fun.
I'm reminded of the DanceDanceRevolution scene, where so many people put stupidly-hard, muscially-empty, no fun songs like the Max series on a pedestal, just because of the difficulty.
Looking at some of the maps of previous layouts, I can certainly say some of the historic versions would have been awesome...but this just doesn't do it for me. Most people who bought the Complete Pack look at is as paying for cars and tracks and the suits and paints are free; for me, I wanted the cars and paints, and the suits and tracks only cost me $2 more.
- 2,529
- G-D Luxembourg
- GTP_Vince_Fiero
Bathurst also has this property of being an organic part of an amazing piece of countryside.
- 174
- Sydney
- wildheart90
I'm going to admit this...
I thought this was real life footage until i saw it was from the video.
Anyway, the Österreichring is another amazing circuit in the mountains, I wish tilke never got his hands on it. But now Red Bull owns the track they have enough money to re-develop the west side of the track which still exists. I really wish they would cause it would help make the track great again.
onboard lap of the old circuit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxUXpnGI648
Tired Tyres
Premium
- 12,873
- West Yorkshire
- Tired_Tyres
- Tired Tyres
They haven't got the weather right on this track, or the Nurburgring for that matter, they are both in the same mountain range and the same thing applies to both. It's called a micro climate.
I had a one make race last night and it started raining by the time I got to Les Combe. It stayed raining until the end of the (2) lap race.
In the real world it would have rained in one part of the track and been sunny in another. You can also add fog and snow to that sometimes as well. That's what makes Spa, and the Nurburgring, better than merely great in the real world.
I had a one make race last night and it started raining by the time I got to Les Combe. It stayed raining until the end of the (2) lap race.
In the real world it would have rained in one part of the track and been sunny in another. You can also add fog and snow to that sometimes as well. That's what makes Spa, and the Nurburgring, better than merely great in the real world.
- 7,239
- beyond down under
- Skython11
The old layout is still there! Sort of
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5161184
Spa is an amazing track, full of amazing pieces, it has the speed, the brilliant corners and overtaking opportunites!
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5161184
Spa is an amazing track, full of amazing pieces, it has the speed, the brilliant corners and overtaking opportunites!
I can only echo what everyone else has said but with added emphasis on the racing side.
There are a number of great [clean] passing places on this track and many corners where the basic characteristics of a car are revealed in the starkest light. To me it also has a really nice flow (even the final chicane) and it seems to reward smooth, on limit driving and intelligent line choice (especially when amongst the pack). I REALLY enjoy racing online at Spa Francorchamps with clean fast shuffle racers (until we try to change it and the disconnects start ).
Online it even has the added bonus of numerous "punter" filters (when you are on road tyres)...
...At the first corner (La Source) a good proportion of the rammers overshoot their braking and end up off the track and ghosting, then half of the remaining lot either ghost or spin out at Raidillon and the final half miss their braking for the first chicane (Les Combes) and end up ghosted.
As longs as you get through that the majority of the room can then have some nice clean racing for the rest of the laps as the punters will never catch up (and then usually rage-quit making the hosts job nice and easy!).
There are a number of great [clean] passing places on this track and many corners where the basic characteristics of a car are revealed in the starkest light. To me it also has a really nice flow (even the final chicane) and it seems to reward smooth, on limit driving and intelligent line choice (especially when amongst the pack). I REALLY enjoy racing online at Spa Francorchamps with clean fast shuffle racers (until we try to change it and the disconnects start
). Online it even has the added bonus of numerous "punter" filters (when you are on road tyres)...
...At the first corner (La Source) a good proportion of the rammers overshoot their braking and end up off the track and ghosting, then half of the remaining lot either ghost or spin out at Raidillon and the final half miss their braking for the first chicane (Les Combes) and end up ghosted.
As longs as you get through that the majority of the room can then have some nice clean racing for the rest of the laps as the punters will never catch up (and then usually rage-quit making the hosts job nice and easy!).
- 204
- Bexhill
- xxDingerxx
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