Damn early

So, anyone who says I’m a morning person clearly hasn’t seen me at 6 a.m. - or rather: half asleep, totally clueless, and clutching a coffee cup while stumbling into the car.

But hey, for the Spa racetrack in Belgium, even I get up willingly. Well, “willingly” might be pushing it, but you get what I mean.

With my car to Spa

My wonderful Copilot Micha aka @michaelreischer, was already wide awake and probably had three Coke Zero by the time I was still trying to pry my eyelids open.

We absolutely had to leave on time because the legendary Ardennes rollercoaster was waiting for us!

Nervous? Pfft, not me.

^{Sure, and my right foot wasn’t shaking like a Chihuahua in a snowstorm.<\sup>}

Hitting the road

Once on the highway, Micha started rambling about old Formula 1 battles, and I got totally fired up.

We got so caught up in the conversation that I - surprise! - missed a turn.

GPS? Yeah, it was yelling at me, but I was too busy debating the best line through Eau Rouge. So we took a little detour through the Belgian countryside.

At least the cows were pretty chill.

The Spa-Francorchamps racetrack is a real gem - and I’m not just saying that because I’m a sucker for fast cars. At over seven kilometers, it’s the longest track on the Formula 1 calendar and is considered by drivers to be the “most beautiful racetrack in the world.”

The Eau Rouge

Nestled in the green Ardennes, it winds through legendary corners like Eau Rouge, Raidillon, and Blanchimont across hilly terrain. Legends like Senna and Schumacher have left their marks here - and now, honestly, I got to breathe in some of that asphalt magic myself.

Today we have trackway

Good to know, a trackday isn’t a race - it’s more like a playground for car enthusiasts, but with helmets and no pressure.

You get to take your own car on the closed track, test yourself, and see what you and your ride can really do. Today we had a mix of people with real race cars and others with their fast street cars with number plates from all over Europe.

Usually, there’s a safety briefing, clear rules, and a lot of respect among everyone - after all, nobody wants to drive home with a wrecked car.

Depending on the organizer, there are different formats: either you drive in groups based on experience or car type, or with an “open pit lane” you can hit the track almost all day long as long as it’s not too crowded.

Sometimes there’s coaching, a fast taxi ride, a pit café, or even a racing license included - but the best part is just the feeling of legally pushing your limits on a real racetrack!

Reaching the race track

Finally arriving at the circuit, I was already halfway in race mode. And the best part? We actually got to drive onto the grounds!

Not just “please stay behind the barrier”

kind of thing, but right up close. Almost to the pit lane!

I felt like a VIP - just without the champagne and sunglasses, but with a ridiculously big grin.

Damn cool cars

Yeah, now we meet the cars! I immediately whipped out my phone and started snapping like crazy. Porsches here, BMWs there, a Ferrari so low it probably kissed the asphalt once or twice.

And then, as if someone had put the cherry on top of my day: an Aston Martin. In British Racing Green, of course. I almost didn’t dare to get closer - it was that beautiful. (Okay, I totally pressed my nose against the window. Don’t worry, I cleaned it again.)

Inbetween someone parked his Mercedes. Or is this even a race car??

My past visits to Spa

Back in 2021 there was a Trackday with many Lotus cars.

That was a lot of fun for me and such an unbelievable feeling of force pushing you into all directions.

My ride in a Lotus Exige at Spa Francorchamps

Lotus Track day in Spa Francorchamps - preparation as co-driver

Some nice Lotus sport cars at Spa Francorchamps

Race Taxi for Detlev

And here’s the kicker: I actually get to ride shotgun in the Aston Martin!

In this one

The sponsor of the todays Event is the team from „License to race“. A big thank you!!

^{Aston Martin in Spa picture by License to race}

But that’s a story for another time - I’ll tell you all about it over our next coffee. Or, if you want, in the very next post.

Stay tuned, it’s going to be wild!

^{Detlev in a Aston Martin}

Views from Eau Rouge

Just 2 quick pictures from the legendary part of this track.

^{Aston Martin in Spa by License to race}

^{Aston Martin in Spa by License to race}