WirtgenMachinesRehabilitateCircuitdeSpa-Francorchamps

The challenging Spa-Francorchamps race track in Belgium was rehabilitated with the aim of enhancing its attractiveness to spectators and, above all, of improving the safety of racing drivers.

The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps construction project posed particular challenges to all involved, as the track was not a design fresh from the drawing board, as is usually the case, but has been in existence for more than 100 years and includes ordinary roads.

CEO Jarno Zaffelli, whose company Dromo Circuit Design delivered the project, emphasized how very demanding this rehabilitation task is — due in particular to the undulating nature of the circuit.

There are extreme sections featuring gradients of 20 percent, such as the legendary combination of the Eau Rouge and Raidillon corners. A further challenge was presented by the hairpin bend La Source (“the spring”), because spring water gets on to the road surface there.

To ensure maximum driver safety on the tough Circuit de SpaFrancorchamps, extremely stringent conditions in terms of evenness and grip were applied to the asphalt surface course.

Experience, Know-How Key to Winning Race for Quality

Belgian company Bodarwé was contracted to complete the asphalt paving. The variations in level around the winding race track presented a challenge to the paving team, as well as to racing drivers.

“We have been working with contractors that use Wirtgen Group machinery for many years. We know the machines very well, and are familiar with what they deliver in terms of quality and reliability,” said Zaffelli.

Stringent Demands Deliver Optimum Results When Paving Surface Course

The project was to pave a new surface course extending 553 yds. from the Eau Rouge valley up to the famous sweeping Formula 1 corner at Raidillon. Another 225 yd. section was to be paved in the area of the T9Car Formula 1 corner to the north, as well as 767 yds. of surfacing for the new T8Moto and T9Moto motorcycle race corners.

The following requirements were imposed on the paving team to ensure that the sections were completed to the best possible standard:

• Paving had to proceed nonstop, at a rate of between 9.8 ft. and 13.1 ft. per minute.

• The temperature of the asphalt mix was set at 356 degrees in order to maintain a sufficiently large compaction window even at the low ambient temperatures prevailing at that time.

• A further requirement was that the temperature of the paved surface course should be fully monitored and documented.

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