F1: Iconic Eau Rouge chalet demolished

(GMM) Spa-Francorchamps purists are mourning the demolition of a Formula 1 icon.

The chalet that sat proudly at the top of Eau Rouge, offering impressive views of arguably the most famous corner in F1 history but also clearly visible from the track itself, has been knocked down.

It is to make way for vital safety improvements in the high-speed section that has played host to several serious crashes in recent years, including Anthoine Hubert’s death in 2019.

RTL calls it a “stab in the heart of many F1 fans, who saw the chalet as somehow belonging to Spa and Formula 1”.

However, there was at least good news this week out of Adelaide, the South Australian capital that played host to Formula 1 for a decade until 1995.

It had been proposed that the remaining parkland section of the track, which today plays host to criterium cycling races and retains the famous ‘Senna S’, go the way of the Eau Rouge chalet.

However, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that those plans have not only been scrapped, but that the circuit will even be protected as part of the cultural heritage of the city.

“The intention is now to bring world motorsport back to Adelaide with disciplines that require a smaller version of the circuit, such as Formula E,” said correspondent Lorenzo Pastuglia.