With its unique layout, history and atmosphere, Spa-Francorchamps is loved by drivers and motorsport fans alike. The Belgian track will host the next round of the World Series by Renault this coming weekend, one of the high points of the WSR season, with all four international championships organised by Renault Sport Technologies on the bill for the first time this year. It promises to be quite a meeting.
Belgium hosted the very first World Series by Renault meeting at Zolder in 2005. Two years later Spa-Francorchamps, nestling in the Ardennes, took over as the series’ Belgian venue, quickly establishing itself as one of the main attractions of the season and drawing large crowds in the process.
For the first time this year all four WSR categories are on the card, with Formula Renault 3.5 Series, Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, Eurocup Megane Trophy and Eurocup Clio sharing the Ardennes track with a host of other attractions. Chief among them are two Formula One drivers, with Switzerland’s Sebastien Buemi heading the Infiniti Red Bull Racing F1 Show and Caterham F1 Team’s Dutch driver Giedo Van der Garde, the 2008 Formula Renault 3.5 Series champion, also in action.
In the infield, meanwhile, there is another world for race-goers to discover in the Renault Village, where the marque’s entire range will be on show, including the Captur. The Time Tunnel will take visitors on a journey back through Renault’s history, and the Alpine, Track, Clio and Rally-themed areas provide a link between the past, the present and the future. Over in the F1 Paddock, the Children’s Village, complete with bouncy castles and a road safety awareness workshop, will stand next to the Z.E. exhibition devoted to Renault’s range on electrical vehicles. There will also be a competitive edge in the Sport Paddock, where racing fans can try their hand at the Renault Sport and Michelin simulators and the Pit Stop Challenge and check out the Infiniti Red Bull Racing area and Red Bull Street Style demos.
Formula Renault 3.5 Series: Preview
After the season’s opening five races at Monza, Motorland Aragon and Monaco, Kevin Magnussen (DAMS) and Stoffel Vandoorne (Fortec Motorsports) have broken away at the top of the standings, with the Dane 14 points ahead after taking fourth place at Monaco, where his title rival could only finish ninth.
Racing on home soil, Vandoorne will be keen to return to the top of the podium and cut the deficit. Blessed with the support of the RACB since the start of his career, the reigning Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 champion will not be lacking in motivation at a meeting where he will be the crowd favourite.
Third in the overall standings after his win in Monaco, Nico Muller (International Draco Racing) is now 30 points adrift of the leader and will be eyeing more success in Belgium as he looks to move into title contention.
Antonio Felix da Costa (Arden Caterham), Arthur Pic (AV Formula) and Will Stevens (P1 by Strakka Racing) also need to get in among the points and find some consistency if they are to close in on the leading duo, while Russia’s Sergey Sirotkin (ISR), the revelation of the Motorland Aragon meeting, also has designs on keeping pace with the leaders.