Nivelles-Baulers
| Coordinates | 50°37′16″N 4°19′37″E / 50.62111°N 4.32694°E |
|---|---|
| Broke ground | 1971 |
| Opened | 1972 |
| Closed | June 30, 1981 |
| Architect | John Hugenholtz |
| Major events | Formula One Belgian Grand Prix (1972, 1974) Formula 750 (1976, 1978) Formula Two (1973) Formula 5000 (1972) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1972–1981) | |
| Surface | Tarmac |
| Length | 3.724 km (2.314 miles) |
| Turns | 7 |
| Race lap record | 1:11.310 ( Denny Hulme, McLaren M23, 1974, Formula One) |
Nivelles-Baulers was a 2.314 mi (3.724 km) race track in
.History
Built in 1971, the circuit hosted two rounds of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix in 1972 and 1974 both won by Emerson Fittipaldi, during the time when the race was supposed to alternate between Walloon and Flemish circuits. Designed by Roger Caignie and John Hugenholtz to be a safe alternative to Spa, Nivelles was perhaps too safe. It had massive runoff areas, was flat and featureless, and was described by many drivers as being bland and sterile.[citation needed] Nivelles was not popular amongst the paying spectators since they thought that they were not close enough to the action.[citation needed]
The track ran into economic problems very early in its life. The organiser went
The fastest F1 lap at the circuit during a race was set in
Lap records
The fastest official race lap records at the Nivelles-Baulers are listed as:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix Circuit: 3.724 km (1972–1981) | ||||
| Formula One | 1:11.310 | Denny Hulme | McLaren M23 | 1974 Belgian Grand Prix |
| Formula Two | 1:14.170[2] | Jochen Mass | Surtees TS15 | 1973 Nivelles F2 round |
| Formula 5000 | 1:17.000[3] | Graham McRae | McRae GM1 | 1972 Nivelles F5000 round |
Group 4 |
1:28.600[4] | Clemens Schickentanz | Porsche Carrera RSR | 1973 Nivelles Euro GT round |
External links
- Satellite picture by Google Maps
- The sad story of the Nivelles-Baulers circuit Archived January 6, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
References
- ^ Liesemeijer, Herman (September 19, 2003). "Nivelles-Baulers Circuit - The history". Circuits of the past. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ^ "1973 Nivelles F2". Retrieved May 8, 2022.
- ^ "1972 North Sea Trophy". Retrieved May 8, 2022.
- ^ "Euro GT Nivelles 1973". Retrieved June 18, 2022.
 | This Formula One–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
.svg){kind=small}  | This article about a Belgium sports venue is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |