Track details:

• Circuit: Spa-Francorchamps (Belgum)
• Date of the F1 Grand Prix: 2nd of September 2012
• First Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps: 18^th of June 1950
• Track length: 7.004 km
• Number of turns: 44 turns (total distance: 308.052 km)
• Direction: clockwise
• Climate: humid
• Lap record: M.Schumacher 1'43''726, Ferrari (2002)
• Top pilot victory: Michael Schumacher - 6 victories
• Top team victory: Ferrari - 15 victories

History

In 1925, the first Belgium Grand Prix was won by Antonio Ascari whose son Alberto would win the race in 1952 and 1953. Unfortunately, after winning the Belgium race, Antonio Ascari would be killed in his next outing at the French Grand Prix. In 1939, the race claimed the life of British driver Richard "Dick" Seaman while leading the race. During the 1960 race Chris Bristow and Alan Stacey lost their lives in separate incidents, the latter in a freak occurrence when hit in the face by a bird.

The Grand Prix was scheduled for 8 June 1969 as part of the 1969 Formula One season at Spa, but when Jackie Stewart visited the circuit on behalf of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association he demanded many improvements to safety barriers and road surfaces, in order to make the track safe for racing. When the track owners were unable to make these improvements, British and Italian Formula 1 teams withdrew from the event, and it was cancelled in early April.

In 1972 Spa was considered too dangerous for Formula 1 machinery. Following that decision, the Belgium organizers decided to alternate their Grand Prix between Zolder near Brussels. Emerson Fittipaldi won the first race at Nivelles but although the track was safe, it inspired little enthusiasm when compared to the magnificent old Spa circuit. Zolder hosted the race the following year and Jackie Stewart won it. Formula One returned to Nivelles in 1974. Once again Emerson Fittipaldi won the race, but after that event the organizers were unable to sustain a Grand Prix at Nivelles and the track faded from the racing scene.

Afterwards, the race returned to Zolder. The Belgium Grand Prix would be held there a further nine times. Niki Lauda scored back-to-back victories at the track in 1975 and 1976, and in 1977 Gunnar Nilsson scored his only F1 victory at Zolder. The following year Mario Andretti won the race for Lotus. In 1979, Jody Scheckter won the race in his Ferrari. In 1980 Didier Pironi became a first time winner at the track in his Ligier. The 1981 meeting that was won by Carlos Reutemann was chaotic with a mechanic being killed in the pit lane, a drivers' strike and then a nasty start line accident. Zolder will always be remembered, however, as the place where Gilles Villeneuve died in 1982. John Watson won the race for McLaren, but a year later the rebuilt Spa circuit opened for racing and the Belgian Grand Prix returned there. The 1982 Belgiun Grand Prix was held at Zolder. In 1983, the race returned to Spa before returning to Zolder in 1984. This was the last F1 race held at Zolder with Michele Alboreto taking the final victory there. In 1985 the Belgium F1 Grand Prix returned to Spa-Francorchamps where it has remained ever since.

World Champion Michael Schumacher, who made his debut at Spa in 1991 and won his first F1 race there in 1992, won his 52nd Grand Prix at Spa in 2001, surpassing Alain Prost's all-time record of 51 wins. Schumacher also won his seventh World Drivers' Championship title at Spa in 2004. There was no Belgium Grand Prix in 2003 because of the country's tobacco advertising laws but it returned to the schedule again in 2004.

Another notable race was the 1998 Belgium Grand Prix, which took place in torrential conditions. The race was originally stopped after a massive accident involving thirteen of the twenty-two runners at the first corner. The heavy rain caused low visibility, and Michael Schumacher ran into the back of David Coulthard, an event that angered Schumacher so much he stormed into the McLaren garage to confront Coulthard, claiming he had tried to kill him. Coulthard later admitted he had been at fault, due to his own inexperience (despite it being his fourth year of Formula One) Only eight drivers were classified finishers (two of whom were five laps behind, one of whom was Coulthard) and Damon Hill secured a memorable victory ahead of team mate Ralf Schumacher to record the previously underperforming Jordan team's first Formula One win in its history, and a 1-2 to top it off.

In 2006, the FIA announced that the Belgium Grand Prix would not be part of the 2006 Formula One season, since the local authorities had started major repair work in Spa-Francorchamps. The Belgium Grand Prix returned in 2007, with Kimi Räikkönen winning his 3rd Belgium Grand Prix in a row.

In 2008, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton survived a frantic last two laps in a late shower of rain to win the Belgium Grand Prix. Hamilton lost the lead to Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen with an early spin but fought back in the closing laps to re-take the lead with two laps to go. In a dramatic climax on a soaking track, Hamilton passed Räikkönen, lost the lead again with a spin, re-took it and then saw Räikkönen crash. Ferrari's Felipe Massa took second leaving him eight points behind Hamilton. However, the stewards decided after the race retrospectively to apply a drive-through penalty for Hamilton's pass on Räikkönen (i.e. a 25-second penalty). This left Hamilton in third place behind Ferrari's Felipe Massa and BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld. The penalty cut Hamilton's lead over Massa to just two points with five races remaining. McLaren appealed the decision but were turned down as it is not permissible to appeal drive-through penalties. The stewards' decision was widely criticised, with former world champion Niki Lauda calling it "completely wrong", "stupid" and "bad for the sport".

In 2009, Bernie Ecclestone said in an interview that he would like the Belgium Grand Prix to rotate with a Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, rather than the Nürburgring rotating with the Hockenheimring.

On 23 September 2009 it was reported that the Belgium Grand Prix is in doubt after the Spa licence was suspended until 2026 due to complaints made from local residents in 2007.