13 replies to this topic

[Paul Rochdale]

My wife and I are travelling to Brussels next month on the Eurostar train, for a few days. Is there anything of interest for the motorsport fan in the city?

[VDP]

Paul
You have to go to Autoworld, Museum of normal cars with huge colection of Belgian makes, worthwile also it s jus over the Air Museum (entrance free).
There is also the remains of Brussels GP, not easy to find

Otherwise send me a pm,

Robert

[Seebar]

Well, the first thing which comes to mind would be visiting the Heizel Plain, and looking for remains of the Expo Circuit. The 1958 World's Fair was held there, and a circuit was laid out. Compare a map of Brussels with http://www.the-fastl...racingcircuits/ . I think there were a couple of F2 races in '60 and '61, both won by Jack Brabham.

While you're there, you can visit some other landmarks which are situated right there, the Atomium, the Heizel Stadium or the American Theatre.

If you're really adventurous, you could visit Nivelles-Baulers, although only one straight of the old circuit is recognizable (I once wasted a whole Saturday trying to find any remains); and Spa is not that far away, like 120km.

AFAIK, there are no motorsport museums - well, a general car museum: http://www.autoworld.be/ - or specialized bookshops in Brussels. As the old saying goes, the most beautiful thing in Brussel is the first train to Antwerp. But that's probably my chauvinistic side speaking.

Enjoy your stay in Brussels, we might even have a government by the time you visit.

[RS2000]

Pretty sure there is a previous thread covering the same question somewhere here.

[Peter Morley]

Originally posted by RS2000
Pretty sure there is a previous thread covering the same question somewhere here.

I think you're right - but it might have extended to the whole of Belgium.

If you want to see some nice cars then Paul Grant's showroom near Woluwe shopping centre is worth a visit (and the wife can always go shopping if she isn't interested in cars).
You'll find directions on their website www.vdvgrant.be

Autoworld isn't far away (a couple of metro stops) and is the main car attraction (but not many racing cars, I find the aircraft museum much more interesting - and it's free!).

Not sure there are any real traces of the old street circuits, as with Nivelles they've all been redeveloped.

Best racing car thing is the museum at Stavelot near Spa, and you can see the circuit there...

There is a big Star Wars exhibition in Brussels at the moment - if you're that way inclined!

[Barry Boor]

I have searched the Heysel area on G****e E***h looking for some trace of the Brussels Grand Prix circuit, but have found absolutely nothing.

Shame!

[Paul Rochdale]

Thanks a lot for the advice but we shall be relying on Shank's Pony or the buses.

[RS2000]

Originally posted by Paul Rochdale
Thanks a lot for the advice but we shall be relying on Shank's Pony or the buses.

A tram used to go to the Heysel/Atomium from the centre of the city - and I'm sure still does - last part of journey was quite a pleasant ride on a dedicated tramway.

[RogerFrench]

Well, you can always take a train to Bruges, which is well worth a visit. Lovely town.

[Paul Rochdale]

Thanks Roger, been to Bruges at least twenty times, Ghent three or four times but never to Bruxelles. It's time we saw a bit more of the country. Hmm, Antwerp?

[MCS]

Originally posted by Paul Rochdale
Hmm, Antwerp?

They've finally finished digging up the Antwerpen Ring Road now - or whatever it was they were doing - so you at least have a chance of getting there!

Diamonds, obviously, and the zoo...

Here's a link to a map of the Brussels circuit;

http://www.silhouet....s/brussels.html

[Barry Boor]

The middle one of the three maps on that link was supplied by me, from a scan of the Autosport page at the time of the first Brussels Grand Prix.

You will be lucky to find any trace of that circuit now, as I mentioned earlier.

[MCS]

Aren't you watching Fiorentina Barry ?!!

[Barry Boor]

Too tense!!!!!