In the early 70s, the Swiss driver Jo Siffert and Mexican Pedro Rodriguez wrote some of the finest pages in the history of Spa-Francorchamps. On the 5th May 2012 the circuit will host the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

In 1970, they were the spearhead of John Wyer's Gulf team, with the famous Porsche 917 in sky blue and orange ... and also tough opponents, as shown in the video below. On the 17th May, at the start of the 1000km of Spa-Francorchamps, Rodriguez, who set the pole time at 245 km/h average speed in #25, and Siffert (#24) provided one of the most incredible spectacles in the history of endurance racing. Initially, on a rain soaked track, they attacked the Raidillon/Eau Rouge side by side! After the retirement of Rodriguez / Kinnunen, Jo Siffert and Brian Redman won the race.

Video : 1000 km of Spa-Francorchamps 1970 (commentary in English)

Three weeks later, on the 7th June, 1970, Pedro Rodriguez won the F1 Belgian Grand Prix on the same track, driving a BRM P160 (#1 in the video below). This success made ​​him the last driver in F1 to win on the Spa-Francorchamps 14km 'big circuit'. The following year, the race moved to Nivelles and later Zolder, before relocating permanently to Spa-Francorchamps in 1985 on a new circuit configuration that was inaugurated in 1979.

Video : Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix  1970 (commentary in English)

In 1971, Pedro Rodriguez (with Jackie Oliver) and Jo Siffert (with Derek Bell) scored a double for the Gulf Porsche 917 in the 1000 km of Spa-Francorchamps. After a breathtaking duel, Rodriguez / Oliver won at an average speed of 249km/h. The Mexican and Swiss would sadly lose their lives in races that year just a few weeks apart: the first on the 11th of July and the second on the 24th of October. Today, their names are are written large in the history of endurance racing and the circuit of Spa-Francorchamps.

Click the following links to find out more:
Guide to the WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps WEC (5th May 2012)
The evolution of the Spa Francorchamps circuit since 1921

Jean-Philippe Doret