Spa-Francorchamps
One of the “standard” sim racing circuits in addition to Monza, Spa-Francorchamps presents a unique and challenging layout including arguably the most iconic sequence of corners anywhere in the world. As it was part of the 2023 WEC calendar, its official game sees the Ardennes rollercoaster represented as well – here is our Le Mans Ultimate Track guide for Spa-Francorchamps, based on the Glickenhaus SCG 007 LMH.
This tight turn is crucial for the rest of the sector, as the run all the way up to Les Combes will be flat or mostly flat in the cars featured in LMU. Approaching the turn, the track will go through a slight dip as it changes from going downhill to slightly uphill. This is a good orientation for your first braking marker.
Throw the anchors right at this dip and stay to the left as long as possible, shift all the way down to first, then turn in and try to get as close to the inside kerb as you can without actually touching it, however. Be patient when applying the throttle – once you hit the accelerator, you ideally do not come off it again as you get carried towards the outside kerb on the exit. Beware of the sausage right behind the kerb, however – touching that will cost lap time!
Once the track turns slightly left and into the compression at the bottom of the hill, run over the kerb on the left as much as you dare to create a good line for the right turn up the hill. Go as close to the kerb on the right as possible without touching it, and once you reach the top, you can cut the kerb on the left a bit to get a good exit onto the Kemmel straight. Time to breathe for a bit on the run to Les Combes.
For this right-hander, position your car as far to the left as you can. Ideally, you will not have to brake, lifting the throttle will be enough. Once you hit the inside kerb, you can apply the throttle again and drift out to the exit kerb. Avoid touching the gravel, though!
Bruxelles seemingly never ends - getting in a position to open up the throttle early is important here.
Now, the long downhill right of Bruxelles awaits. There are multiple lines through this second-gear corner: You can either take a double apex, so an early and a late one, or stay to the outside for longer, then take a late apex. Getting onto the throttle as early as possible should be your aim.
After exiting Bruxelles, getting back to the right edge of the track as quickly is possible is important to get a good line through Speaker’s Corner. In third gear, some patience with the throttle pedal is needed, as you want to go full throttle as soon as you can for a good run towards Doubel Gauche, or Pouhon, as it was known for the longes time.
Touch the kerb on the inside, then get back on the accelerator as soon as you can, drifting all the way onto the right-hand kerb. Then, you can take the second left of the complex at full throttle and head towards Les Fagnes.
Slight deviations from the racing line at Double Gauche can cost good chunks of time.
This flowing right-left chicane requires you to keep your momentum up. Brake just before the Bosch bridge, then shift down to third and take a small amount of inside kerb. For the second part of the chicane, you want to be as far to the right as possible to take a wide entry. Nibble the kerb on the inside, then make generous use of the exit kerb – but not too much, as you can easily bottom out or snatch the gravel and go straight on.
Campus requires some patience – brake while on the left edge of the track, then turn in and let the car roll through until you can nail the throttle again. The exit kerb to the left is important not just for Campus, but also for Stavelot. It extends all the way to the second turn of this complex, allowing you to take a wider entry.
Taking a wide entry line for Stavelot is important for the long flat-out section that follows.
A touch of the brakes and a well-timed turn-in are crucial for Stavelot. The latter is relatively early, as you face the same problem as in the first Double Gauche. Be careful to only slightly touch the inside kerb, as it will spit you out towards the wall otherwise.
Depending on your fuel load, a slight lift might be required through Stavelot, but with a bit of practice, taking it flat is also possible. Running wide on exit is not recommended, however, as this may net you a track limits penatly pretty quickly. After navigating Stavelot, only one more braking zone remains.
Do not be afraid to put the right side of the car slightly over the white line to widen your entry into Blanchimont. Then aim for the inside kerb, but avoid touching it – you might run wide on the exit and get a penalty. If you thread the high-speed needle correctly, you can blast through here without lifting, even on a full tank of fuel.
The white timing line ahead of the Chicane serves as a good reference point for when to brake.
Now, get ready to stomp on the brakes as hard as nowhere else on the lap. A slight right kink leads to the final Chicane, which used to be the iconic Bus Stop. Formerly a left-right and right-left series of flicks, it now consists of a very slow right followed by an equally slow left.
Spot the white timing line right after the advertising board overhead and let the brake discs glow just ahead of it, shfiting all the way down to first gear. Turn in and hug the apex tightly without getting on the sausage kerb right behind the actual kerb, and keep turning just a bit longer than you might feel is right. You want to make the final turn as wide as possible, stay just as close to the left-hand apex, and accelerate hard as soon as the car grips again.
Take a bit of exit kerb if needed, and off you go for another lap on the iconic Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
Author: Yannik Haustein
Le Mans Ultimate Track Guide: Spa: First Sector
La Source
Your journey around the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps starts at the start-finish straight. Sounds logical, but it is not quite as straight-forward at this track – there are two pit lanes, and WEC used the same one that F1 occupies for the Belgian Grand Prix. This means that to start a lap, you will have to master the right-hand hairpin La Source first.This tight turn is crucial for the rest of the sector, as the run all the way up to Les Combes will be flat or mostly flat in the cars featured in LMU. Approaching the turn, the track will go through a slight dip as it changes from going downhill to slightly uphill. This is a good orientation for your first braking marker.
Throw the anchors right at this dip and stay to the left as long as possible, shift all the way down to first, then turn in and try to get as close to the inside kerb as you can without actually touching it, however. Be patient when applying the throttle – once you hit the accelerator, you ideally do not come off it again as you get carried towards the outside kerb on the exit. Beware of the sausage right behind the kerb, however – touching that will cost lap time!
Eau Rouge, Raidillon & Kemmel Straight
Following La Source, you will go downhill past the older pit lane. Run close to the right-hand wall in order to set up your run through the fearsome, but legendary combination of Eau Rouge and Raidillon, which will lead you up the hill in either sixth or seventh gear, depending on your exit from La Source.Once the track turns slightly left and into the compression at the bottom of the hill, run over the kerb on the left as much as you dare to create a good line for the right turn up the hill. Go as close to the kerb on the right as possible without touching it, and once you reach the top, you can cut the kerb on the left a bit to get a good exit onto the Kemmel straight. Time to breathe for a bit on the run to Les Combes.
Le Mans Ultimate Track Guide Spa: Second Sector
Les Combes To Speaker’s Corner
The braking spot for Les Combes is actually further towards the corner than you might expect, as the Kemmel Straight goes slightly uphill. Spot a red marker on the armco to your left right before the 100-meter board and brake slightly before it, then start turning in. Take a decent amount of inside kerb for the first part, but only a bit for the left-hand part of Les Combes. You do not want to run all the way to the right on exit in order to set up your run through Malmedy. Just like Les Combes, it can be taken in third gear.For this right-hander, position your car as far to the left as you can. Ideally, you will not have to brake, lifting the throttle will be enough. Once you hit the inside kerb, you can apply the throttle again and drift out to the exit kerb. Avoid touching the gravel, though!
Bruxelles seemingly never ends - getting in a position to open up the throttle early is important here.
Now, the long downhill right of Bruxelles awaits. There are multiple lines through this second-gear corner: You can either take a double apex, so an early and a late one, or stay to the outside for longer, then take a late apex. Getting onto the throttle as early as possible should be your aim.
After exiting Bruxelles, getting back to the right edge of the track as quickly is possible is important to get a good line through Speaker’s Corner. In third gear, some patience with the throttle pedal is needed, as you want to go full throttle as soon as you can for a good run towards Doubel Gauche, or Pouhon, as it was known for the longes time.
Double Gauche & Les Fagnes
A tricky corner to get right, Double Gauche is – as the name implies – a double-left. Arriving at the first, brake slightly about 60 meters before the corner and shift down a gear, then turn in towards the inside kerb. This is the tough part – turning in too early ruins your line, too late and you will run hopelessly wide. It will likely take a few more laps than usual to get a good feel for the first turn of Double Gauche.Touch the kerb on the inside, then get back on the accelerator as soon as you can, drifting all the way onto the right-hand kerb. Then, you can take the second left of the complex at full throttle and head towards Les Fagnes.
Slight deviations from the racing line at Double Gauche can cost good chunks of time.
This flowing right-left chicane requires you to keep your momentum up. Brake just before the Bosch bridge, then shift down to third and take a small amount of inside kerb. For the second part of the chicane, you want to be as far to the right as possible to take a wide entry. Nibble the kerb on the inside, then make generous use of the exit kerb – but not too much, as you can easily bottom out or snatch the gravel and go straight on.
Le Mans Ultimate Track Guide Spa: Final Sector
Campus & Stavelot
We are approaching the end of the lap with the right-handers of Campus and Stavelot coming up. The timing line is actually between the two corner, so technically, Campus is still part of the second sector. As both turns are are in rapid succession, we put them into one paragraph, however.Campus requires some patience – brake while on the left edge of the track, then turn in and let the car roll through until you can nail the throttle again. The exit kerb to the left is important not just for Campus, but also for Stavelot. It extends all the way to the second turn of this complex, allowing you to take a wider entry.
Taking a wide entry line for Stavelot is important for the long flat-out section that follows.
A touch of the brakes and a well-timed turn-in are crucial for Stavelot. The latter is relatively early, as you face the same problem as in the first Double Gauche. Be careful to only slightly touch the inside kerb, as it will spit you out towards the wall otherwise.
Depending on your fuel load, a slight lift might be required through Stavelot, but with a bit of practice, taking it flat is also possible. Running wide on exit is not recommended, however, as this may net you a track limits penatly pretty quickly. After navigating Stavelot, only one more braking zone remains.
Blanchimont & (Formerly Bus Stop) Chicane
Now you are blasting through the final part of the lap. Courbe Paul Frère and the left kink ahead of Blanchimont are no problem for any car, but the ultra-fast left-hander that is Blanchimont itself is a thrilling experience.Do not be afraid to put the right side of the car slightly over the white line to widen your entry into Blanchimont. Then aim for the inside kerb, but avoid touching it – you might run wide on the exit and get a penalty. If you thread the high-speed needle correctly, you can blast through here without lifting, even on a full tank of fuel.
The white timing line ahead of the Chicane serves as a good reference point for when to brake.
Now, get ready to stomp on the brakes as hard as nowhere else on the lap. A slight right kink leads to the final Chicane, which used to be the iconic Bus Stop. Formerly a left-right and right-left series of flicks, it now consists of a very slow right followed by an equally slow left.
Spot the white timing line right after the advertising board overhead and let the brake discs glow just ahead of it, shfiting all the way down to first gear. Turn in and hug the apex tightly without getting on the sausage kerb right behind the actual kerb, and keep turning just a bit longer than you might feel is right. You want to make the final turn as wide as possible, stay just as close to the left-hand apex, and accelerate hard as soon as the car grips again.
Take a bit of exit kerb if needed, and off you go for another lap on the iconic Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
Author: Yannik Haustein
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