Circuit Zolder
The Circuit Zolder is a high-profile road course that has hosted multiple international motorsports events since its construction in 1963 in hilly terrain near Heusden-Zolder, 81.8 km (50.8 miles) east of Brussels, Belgium. Top-notch automotive and motorcycling racing competitions like the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix, IDM Superbike, or the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series have used Zolder during its 50 years of history. The oceanic climate type prevalent at the circuit's location guarantees wet track surface during most of the year for racing in a temperate, pleasant environment to drive high-performance vehicles.
The 2.49-mile (4 km) road course has a trajectory with sixteen turns, two long straightaways, and plenty of passing opportunities. There are two chicanes: the Kleine Chicane and the Villeneuve Chicane, named after Gilles Villeneuve, a Formula 1 racer (father of 1997 Formula 1 Champion Jacques Villeneuve) who got killed in Zolder on a 230 km/h (140 mph) crash in 1982. Several 90-degrees corners force drivers to alternate gears to gain traction, and the combination of sweeping curves and long straights get the vehicles to top speeds during most of the circuit. The Circuit Zolder has a highly technical layout that rewards patience and risk-taking, with an average velocity of 134 km/h (84 mph).
