Rob Roy Speed Hillclimb.24th Historic and Classic Hillclimb - Sunday, 22 November, 2015.  By Bill Hunter (Coolpix P610 Camera loaned by Martin Stubbs.)

The original Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps was based on public roads running between the villages of Francorchamps, Malmedy and Stavelot in the Ardennes forest. Motorbike racing began at the track in 1922, and three years later it held its first Grand Prix. It was part of the original world championship calendar in 1950, but even for its time, the 14-kilometre long circuit was fearsomely fast and dangerous. The length and layout was retained until 1970. Most of the cars which compete during the Spa Six Hours weekend were from this era and if you've ever tried to run the old track on a computer racing game (like GT Legends) it becomes clear how cars and drivers must have suffered during a race on this 14-kilometre track. After 1970 various projects followed to eliminate certain high-risk zones but also to preserve the typical characteristics. By 1979 the length of the circuit was reduced to seven kilometres. Four years later, the Formula One returned to Spa. From the first edition of the Spa Six Hours back in 1993 the length of the circuit is almost unchanged. Since the layout of the new chicane the length of the circuit is now exactly 7004 metres.