Almost No classic circuit can claim to have evolved in the "right direction" after being shortened, modified and modernized. Only Spa Francorchamps seems to have miraculously escaped this rule.
Now unanimously appreciated by all and considered by the majority as the "most beautiful circuit in the world", SPA in the past was above all famous for being too fast and dangerous. Even Scary. Its reputation was associated with a sad track record of deaths and serious accidents.
Oddly, this is where Jackie Stewart, the victim of one of those terrible accidents on the Ardennes roads, had a kind of enlightenment as he wondered how long he would have been stucked in the cockpit of his wrecked car before the fire started.
Legend says that from that precise moment, he made it his duty to go on a crusade for safety on the circuits, and it is thanks to him and to this founding event in a way that motorsport has become much safer than it was in the past.
That the sacrifice of the super fast and dangerous section of SPA resulted in this gem that we know today is perhaps the miraculous reward of fate to this circuit which indirectly caused the evolution of motorsport in the direction of an activity more concerned with the lives of its actors.
***
Unfortunately, our societies today are subjected to a sort of security diktat which manifests itself in an even more blatant and excessive manner in motorsport. Most of the time, when it comes to the creation of circuits, this leads to the emergence of fashionable "Tilkian" tracks without soul or flavor.
Fortunately, the Francorchamps circuit, like some rare others that still resist, as modernized as it may have been, is there to remind us of the spirit of the classic circuits, in particular thanks to the famous section of Eau Rouge "S" and the Raidillon that follows, which just like the circuit itself deserves the qualifier of the most beautiful turn in the world.
***
One could fear that this blind turn, by the potential risk it represents, could one day or another be the target of an attack by any security demagogue lobby that will take advantage of a dramatic event to make another scapegoat to sacrifice in the name of the security god who seeks to lock us into a safe and comfortable prison.
Perhaps should we seriously think about registering this turn as well as the whole circuit as "Intangible Cultural heritage of humanity" ... just in case to...
The 7UP sponsored Jordan 191 is much more famous now for having been the 1st F1 car driven by Michael Schumacher in the world championship than for its own qualities.
In the hands of the german futur huge champion, after a very good qualifying performance, the Jordan 191 only travelled a few hundreds meters after the start of the Belgian Grand Prix, before retiring.
Actually the 191, which was the 1st Formula 1 car built by Jordan team, achieved very good results throughout the team's first season in the hands of Andrea de Cesaris and Bertrand Gachot leading to a very satisfactory fifth place in the 1991 final rankings.
At the end of the year the Jordan 191 received from Autosport magazine the "Race car of the year" prize. The car was not only efficient, but also considered by many as one of the most beautiful, if not the prettiest, Formula one car in History.
After that promising first year, Eddie Jordan didn't know he would have to wait long years before one of his cars would be able to actually win a Formula1 Grand Prix.
Built to tackle the multiple turns of twisty circuits like the Nürburgring and the Targa Florio where the Porsche 917 was handicapped, the 308/3 is one of the most impressive racing cars produced by the German factory.
It was a great success, and the ultralight spyder remained competitive for over 10 years winning 75% of the events in which it took part.
