Does Eau Rouge changed from early 90´s

[lemanfan]

Does Eau Rouge changed from early 90´s compare to high 90´s and nowdays. I mean changes that influenses speed throu that corner, encrease speed or slow the cars.

[Peter Mallett]

It has changed through that period. However the majority of changes invlove the run off areas or (as now) the endurance race pitlane exit which now runs up to Radillon before joining the track.

[zefarelly]

I waas looking at some Olde worlde pictures the other day and it appears that Eu Rouge used to be a lot tighter and narrower in the 60's ?

the pit exit has to be much safer at the top of the hill, imagine coming straight on track at the bottom with cars flying full chat straight at you

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by zefarelly
I waas looking at some Olde worlde pictures the other day and it appears that Eu Rouge used to be a lot tighter and narrower in the 60's ?

Yes and it also turned sharp left and ran around the back of where it is now. The road has only recently disappeared since they closed it to the public.

It became the "flat out" blind somewhare around 1979/80.

Originally posted by zefarelly
the pit exit has to be much safer at the top of the hill, imagine coming straight on track at the bottom with cars flying full chat straight at you

It was fun.

[verglas]

Originally posted by Peter Mallett
Yes and it also turned sharp left and ran around the back of where it is now. The road has only recently disappeared since they closed it to the public.

It became the "flat out" blind somewhare around 1979/80.



It was fun.

Um, not quite Peter. I recall spending a fascinating hour chatting with DSJ at a Belgian GP and he told a marvellous story about how the road turned sharp left and around the back of the current corner way back in the 1930's when he was a passenger on a side car combo. The current configuartion has been in use for many many years. Look at Frankenheimer's Grand Prix film of the mid 60's and it is very similar to today. The main change has been the huge increase in run off, making it all appear a lot bigger but the reality is that the line is very much the same.

[Peter Mallett]

Er. I meant in the thirties.

[Fuzzyfelt]

This map from a great site (Golden Era of GP Racing) shows the original road configuration.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/t6.htm

Oh, mama...!

[jminsh]

It's all tarmac everywere now with the track painted on so if you do get it wrong you can run over what was about 4 tears ago a curb which would have thrown you off a la Jaques in the BAR .

So in effect it is easier now as you have a scape goat ,but if you do it every lap you'll get a stop go in your race.

[pirenzo]

Eau Rouge as it is now hasn't changed since the 30s.
It used to be 3rd gear though in the 50s and 60s

Still they managed to get up to nearly 200mph in other places, I think Jim Clark averaged 147mph in 1967
IIRC when the old circuit closed the lap record was something like 163mph!!

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by jminsh
It's all tarmac everywere now with the track painted on so if you do get it wrong you can run over what was about 4 tears ago a curb which would have thrown you off a la Jaques in the BAR .

It used to be that if you got too much understeer going up the hill you'd keep the foot planted and sail over the gravel trap at the top and back to the tarmac. Nowadays you'd damage the suspension on the high kerb! So its more difficult IMO.

JV had his problems lower down the hill IIRC.