The only place like this on earth, or how I went to Formula 1
I'll offend those who have Formula 1 in their blood, but I admit I don't. What's more, I don't even have a driver's license, and I simply leave the driving to others for over 35 years.
The good news is that, fortunately, this text will not be about me.
As a professional sports fan, F1 was also a place I frequented many times. Even as a child, falling in love with the red of Ferrari and the legend of Michael Schumacher. And when Robert Kubica arrived, I made it a point of honor to not just watch but understand the racing. This, over time, week after week, proved to be exceptionally engaging.
Belgian F1 price madness vs. quite affordable CologneThe presence of the Krakow native among the world's best drivers left a mark on the history of Polish sport. Looking more broadly at F1's rich history, however, it was more of a temporary moment than a decades-long event. It's always nice to revisit such a moment, but like it or not, Kubica's era in this special circle must be treated as a beautiful, yet distant past. We secretly wish that, as motorsport in Poland crumbles, more such figures emerge, so exceptional, so talented, and above all, so determined – something Mr. Robert demonstrated even in 2025 by winning the famous Le Mans race .
Why did Belgium, in particular, decide to make its F1 debut? The arguments were mixed: price (roughly mid-pack in terms of GPs in this respect), historical (more on that in a moment), and finally, purely geographical. With an important note: As you might imagine, an F1 weekend in Spa itself or its Belgian environs cost double-digit amounts – converted to złoty. I'm talking about accommodation alone. It could be a lot or a little, depending on the size of your wallet, which I won't delve into here.
However, if it was possible to visit another country during a foreign trip (ultimately a gift for my esteemed father-in-law, Marek, an F1 enthusiast), and a quite pleasant city, located near the target track, then why not?
The choice fell on Germany, specifically Cologne. With its famous landmark, the Gothic cathedral (Kölner Dom), the chocolate museum (Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum), and the Rhine flowing through the city, North Rhine-Westphalia is a pleasant place to be. And with Cologne, with over a million inhabitants, it's a highly recommended destination. It's also a good choice for F1 fans, as the financial situation was normal – not embellished by the madness of Grand Prix – plus the distance from the German city to Spa was a 1.5-hour drive by motorway. It's practically impossible to tell that you're swapping Germany for Belgium, and although the route takes you along the strangely familiar A4, I assure you there are more lanes than on the Polish, two-lane standard, from the southern part of the country.
Spa-Francorchamps – a track with a great history, including a tragic oneThe first race at Spa-Francorchamps was held in 1922. If one were looking for the first Grand Prix event, it took place at the Belgian track three years later, in 1925. There was no such plan, but its appearance at the venue on the centenary of that event added an extra dimension. Furthermore, out of journalistic and chronicling obligation, Antonio Ascari won the Spa-Francorchamps circuit a hundred years ago, driving an Alfa Romeo. At that time, the competition was known as the AIACR World Constructors' Championship.
Ascari died less than a month later during the French Grand Prix at the Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry. Sadly, death and serious incidents at the Belgian track are also an integral part of the century-long history of this one of F1's "dinosaurs." And formula racing has been a tradition for exactly 75 years at the venue.
Only four such classic tracks remain on the Grand Prix calendar: Silverstone in the UK, Circuit de Monaco in Monaco, Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Italy, and Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. It's hard to believe, but years ago, the longest circuit in the GP series was twice as long. This stemmed from the fact that the route ran through the small towns surrounding the main arena. Nowadays, you can drive through this area in your own car, which adds to the incredible atmosphere, demonstrating just how dangerous racing was in the old days. Narrow roads leading between buildings, risky elevation gains—simply unimaginable.
It was here, during the Belgian Grand Prix, that one of the most tragic weekends in F1 history took place. In 1960, two drivers died during the race. First, Chris Bristow lost control of his car on lap 20 at Malmedy (a nearby town, then the track area). The driver hit a meter-high embankment, then ejected from his car and landed on barbed wire, which decapitated him. Five laps later, during the same race, Alan Stacey died. He was fatally struck in the face by an approaching bird near Masta (also then the old track area). The driver lost control of his car and spun off the track at high speed, landing in a field. There, his car caught fire, and Stacey, trapped inside, burned to death.
In 1992, the legendary Ayrton Senna saved the life of one of his rivals at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The Brazilian, whose likeness I easily spotted on several T-shirts worn by slightly older fans attending the Belgian GP, rushed to the aid of Erik Comas during qualifying. The rescued driver admitted that only Senna's immediate support saved his life. The Brazilian, in fact, won five times at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton, who still drives for Ferrari, boasts the same record. The record holder, however, is six-time Belgian GP winner Michael Schumacher, who years ago was an absolute dominator for the Italian red team. Moreover, the German made his F1 debut at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, and in 1992, he recorded his first GP victory there. As legend has it, Schumacher initially explored the Spa-Francorchamps circuit by riding… on his bicycle, still a rookie unknown to the general public. This is how the future great champion learned the secrets of this special place.
Unfortunately, despite the shortened track and extensive safety measures, the toll of these tragedies in Belgium continues to mount. In 2023, during the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, a tragic accident occurred. The competition took place in heavy rain. Dilano van't Hoff's car spun, and with minimal visibility, Adam Fitzgerald plowed into the Dutchman's car at high speed. Fitzgerald, who was only 18 years old, could not be saved.
Four years earlier, Anthoine Hubert lost his life on the Spa-Francorchamps track, competing in Formula 2.
2025 proved to be another challenging year for the Belgian resort's weather conditions. The name "Spa" is no coincidence, as it boasts a unique microclimate – the famous nomenclature of which originates from here and is used practically worldwide. The charm of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, however, lies in the fact that, speaking of microclimates, such a large area will be sunny in one part and heavy downpour in another. And the weather changes practically every few minutes, from one extreme to the other.
That's exactly what happened on Sunday, July 27th. Although, being there, you might get the impression that even the pouring rain didn't bother much. With tickets for the so-called brown zone, we had to—in our case—drive from the Malmedy parking lot, where buses now take fans directly to the venue. A pleasant surprise: although there were a lot of people, the wait and the drive itself didn't follow the "cramped, traffic-free" scenario. The staff managed the crowd appropriately, having years of experience organizing such events.
It's worth noting that this year's attendance was record-breaking. A total of 389,000 people showed up at Spa-Francorchamps over the course of just a few days, surpassing last year's record by 9,000. Only the British Grand Prix (500,000) and the Australian Grand Prix (465,000) have surpassed this season's attendance figures – demonstrating the sheer scale of interest and exceptionalism involved.
It's also worth noting that while the figure of 110,000 spectators throughout the entire facility during Sunday's race sounds very impressive, it wasn't exactly overcrowded. Well, maybe just around the perimeter fence, where everyone was looking for a spot to squeeze their gaze in and catch a glimpse of the eagerly awaited car, having just heard its engine roar.
Another enduring, yet endearing, sight is the image of the most loyal fans spending several pleasant days at the venue – in this case, the Spa-Francorchamps circuit – perhaps on fishing chairs, carried under their arms. The more organized also found spots on the hills surrounding the venue, facing the forest. The beautiful trees not only added to the venue's charm and provided shelter from the pouring rain (I know, because I used them myself!), but also provided a prime vantage point for the most daring of F1 fans.
This year's race was a showcase for two personalities. On the one hand, the winner, Oscar Piastri, secured McLaren's third consecutive one-two victory with second-placed Lando Norris. The "Orange" drivers dominated the F1 competition, often showing their backs to their rivals.
Lewis Hamilton was named race driver, though the Briton only finished seventh after a disastrous qualifying session. Hamilton, in fact, started from the pit lane due to an engine change. He then made a spectacular comeback in Belgium, confirming his exceptionally good form at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
The biggest drama, however, occurred… even before the race began. Before the drivers even got underway on the 44th lap, there was a question mark over whether the race would actually get underway. Rain had left the track very wet, and after the formation lap, racing was suspended due to poor visibility.
Given the many tragic events that have occurred, it's hardly surprising that the organizers were so cautious. People want the Games, of course, but they don't want a tragedy.
The break lasted almost an hour and a half, which would have been just enough time to get back to Germany, but thankfully, patience triumphed! After four reconnaissance laps behind the safety car, the race began on lap five, with a rolling start. The nearly 40 laps of competition flew by, and following the race even from a vantage point high above the track was no problem, as you can see other areas via well-positioned, large screens.
It's also noteworthy that although the fans wore the colors of various F1 teams, there was no tension, but rather an atmosphere of appreciation for the drivers' skill, while, of course, rooting for their favorite team. Those in Ferrari gear were the most numerous, but Dutch, albeit Belgian-born, four-time world champion Max Verstappen also had his loyal following.
However, whoever was cheering for the team, it took place in a civilized atmosphere.
I've also often heard that drivers have a lot of fun driving on classic tracks like Spa-Francorchamps. In the Belgian case, we're talking about a very fast track with noticeable elevation gain (up to 17 percent!), where not only is the legendary and simultaneously dangerous Eau Rouge corner unique. Being perfectly centered on the Brussels corner, I know what I'm talking about!
I recommend a weekend of F1 to everyone. While it might seem like the average mortal will only see racing cars zooming by, they will. But they'll also see entire families truly happy. For decades, they've created a unique atmosphere around F1 that's definitely worth experiencing.
Even if drivers no longer reach speeds close to Henri Pescarolo's record, the French driver set the average lap speed record at 262.4 km/h in 1973. Where? Of course, right there (albeit on the aforementioned 14 km track), at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.
Read also: Iga Świątek makes a touching gesture. The world is delighted with the Polish actress's behavior. Read also: Kewin Sasak in Bartosz Kurek's shoes. This is the hero of the Polish national team.
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