11th Spa Italia 2012 – by Matthias Urban

To be honest, it was more or less the event anybody expected with the exception of some things that madethis event so unique previously. Spa Italia, for the Ferraristi, has replaced, together with the closed shop-event Ferrari Owners Day of the Ferrari Club Belgio, the Spa Ferrari Racing Days that took place until 2006. Useless to complain, that no event really can compare with a FRD, but in the Factory’s marketing strategy the Belgium event as well as the German edition have disappeared from view for the time being.

What makes Spa that special are a few things:
a) The entry fee is very low, 15 € for the whole weekend is a bargain. To be honest, it is the same fee that was requested for the FRD, but, still it is very comfortable and commendable to see Spa’s pricing policy.

b) Spa Italia is a somehow strange event, what is unquestionable a big profit for Ferrari spotters. The display of owner cars is changing –nearly completely- from Saturday to Sunday. It was the same this year.

c) The biggest critical point for this year’s edition has nothing to do with the cars or the organization of the event itself, but it’s about ambience. Meeting points for a break or a get together have always been the wooden huts where food and beverage was offered together with seating to have a break or some small talks with like-minded people. I remember well that the fast food was some of the better kind, accompanied by a good cup of coffee and Belgium waffle. The wooden benches have been replaced by those made of plastic, the waffle-stand has disappeared and, where the wooden huts stood, simple food trucks are the replacement and the food has been accordingly. A “Nürburgring-style” voucher system was, negatively spoken, the icing on the cake.

Back to the event now. Compared to the last years, the number of cars was remarkable low. I don’t know if this was related to the unusual early date of the event. As pointed out above, the Saturday was dominated by the French visitors and the Sunday did belong to the Belgian and Dutch drivers predominantly. Some German Ferraris made the field complete.

Remarkable cars? A few, I have to admit. Car of Saturday was 2983, a silver 250 GTE from France, probably the oldest car being present that weekend together with a British Daytona #13593. On Sunday, the “dominator” sure was Belgian 275 GTB #7101. Other cars of interest have been the Italia Challenge #179302 and the Challenge Stradale #136116 in rare Rosso Barchetta. Another four Challenge Stradales have been present, three in Rosso Scuderia, one in Rosso Corsa. The “usual suspects” being present have been three of the nine MR400s, racing cars fitted with engines from the F355 and the driving school car #101852 with two steering wheels and an additional pedal system on the passenger side.

The next stop in Spa will be Spa Classics that will be accompanied by the 60th anniversary celebration of the Garage Francorchamps, called FF60 taking place the next weekend. Here are some recommendations for hotels and restaurant when you go to Spa.

Best Western Villa des Fleures, Rue Albin Body 31 4900 Spa:
small and pretty hotel in the center of Spa for reasonable fairs and high class service and ambience

Radison Blu Balmoral, Avenue Léopold II 40, 4900 Spa:
outside of Spa with brilliant wellness section, service needs improvement

Best Western Hotel Restaurant L'Auberge, Place du Monument 3 4900 Spa:
a choice only if no other room is available in Spa. Out-dated rooms, breakfast not really delightful

Le Roannay, Route de Spa 155, Francorchamps:
close to the circuit, said to be one of the hotels preferred by the drivers, quite rooms, very good restaurant

Le Menthe à l'Eau, Place Verte 49 4900 Spa:
good bistro in the center of Spa