The Speed Corner Spa Francorchamps grandstand offers fans one of the cheapest ways to have a grandstand view of the F1 Belgian Grand Prix.
This article provides a full guide to sitting at Speed Corner, and includes information on the view, how much racing action you’re likely to see from these seats, details on the grandstand itself, the nearest parking areas and more, based on my trip to the 2023 Belgian GP.
Contents
What is Speed Corner at Spa Francorchamps?
Speed Corner is another name for Turn 9 on the Spa Francorchamps circuit, which is unofficially known as ‘No Name’ as there was never actually an official name for this corner. In this article we’ll just refer to it as Speed Corner.
At the Belgian Grand Prix for the Formula 1 there is a grandstand at Speed Corner which is one of the lowest-budget grandstand seating options at the Belgian GP. The Speed Corner grandstand has reserved seating for which tickets have to be purchased in advance.
The grandstand can be seen at 1:47 in the video below.
Speed Corner Spa grandstand location
The grandstand is located on the left-hand side of Speed corner. It sits parallel with the straight between Speed Corner (Turn 9) and Pouhon (Turn 10).
The map below shows the location of the grandstand at the Spa circuit. The grandstand runs from the exit kerb on the outside of Speed Corner all the way down to just before the gantry over the straight, about half way along it.
Before the 2022 race a lot of remodelling work was done to the Spa circuit. This includes Speed Corner where an additional track layout was added.
The downside of this was that it pushed the edge of the track, and the grandstand, farther away from the original circuit configuration that the F1 runs on. Speed Corner grandstand is now not as close to the action as it used to be. See the images below for a comparison.
Tickets
Speed Corner tickets can sell out fast on the Spa GP official website. If it is sold out but you’re still after some tickets, I’d recommend purchasing them through P1 Travel.
They’re an official F1 ticket reseller with a great reputation and great reviews. Plus they usually have a good selection of 1, 2 or 3 day tickets available.
Grandstand details
- The grandstand is completely uncovered, so it’s open to the elements.
- The seats are fixed individual chairs with seat backs.
- There’s two big TV screens visible from the stand. There are across the track, just the other side of the armco barrier and in front of the grass banking. These screens aren’t huge but are just about big enough to see ok.
Every year the screens here seem to get a little bigger. The 2022 screen set up can be seen in the video below.
View from the Speed Corner grandstand at Spa
Being located between Speed Corner and Pouhon, the further to the right in the stand you’re sat the closer you are to Speed Corner and the further to the left you go the closer you are to Pouhon. The map below shows the areas of the track you can see from this grandstand highlighted in pink.
Pretty much everywhere in the stand gives you a view all the way down to the turn in point for Pouhon. Just after that the cars will disappear out of sight.
If you’re sat on the extreme right hand side of the stand you also get a great view of the cars entering and apexing Speed Corner, which you won’t get if you’re more central or to the left hand side of the stand.
The video below was filmed from the far right hand side of the stand in the back row, and shows how much of the cars can be seen as they enter your view from the right.
Ignore the lack of screens and bleacher style bench seating in this video as they have all since been upgraded.
If you sit further to the left in the stand you will only be able to see the cars exiting Speed Corner. The grandstand and the spectators to your right will block your view of the entry and apex. The video below shows this viewpoint.
There is a fence directly in front of this grandstand which runs the whole way along the edge of the track. As the grandstand seating is tiered (but not very steeply) only the back few rows get a view high enough to look over the fence.
If you’re in the front rows you’ll be lower down and looking directly through it, like in the video below filmed from row 5.
Not that you have a choice, but I’d keep my fingers crossed for some seats high up on the extreme right hand side to get the best view possible of the cars coming through Speed Corner.
Is the Speed Corner grandstand a good place to sit at Spa?
The F1 cars apex Speed Corner at just over 200kph / 125mph as they drop down the hill around the left hander. At this speed their downforce is working well and the speed which they come through that Turn will be pretty impressive.
After that they’re flat out the whole way down the next straight to Pouhon.
Whilst the cars look fast through the section visible from this grandstand, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see much overtaking here.
With the cars going as quickly as they do through Speed Corner it means closely following one another in the ‘dirty air’ is harder, so this part of the track isn’t conducive to close racing.
Speed Corner is pretty tricky to get right and it’s not uncommon to see cars run wide on the exit so there’s always potential for action there.
The best thing about this grandstand is its price. It’s often the cheapest grandstand seat ticket at the whole Spa Francorchamps circuit for the F1. So if you want a reserved seat for the whole weekend and are on a bit of a budget then this could well be the best option for you.
A more impressive (but more expensive) place to sit would be in the Gold 3 grandstand at the top of Eau Rouge and Raidillon.
Nearest parking area
The green parking areas near Les Combes, Malmedy and Rivage are the closest car parks to the Speed Corner grandstand.
Parking can be booked on the official Spa Grand Prix website.
Other Spa grandstands
Check out our spectator guides to the other grandstands at Spa Francorchamps:
- Max Verstappen stand
- Combes grandstand
- 17 – 27 area grandstand
- Gold 1 pit grandstand
- Gold 2 GP2 grandstand
- Gold 3 grandstand
- Gold 4 grandstand
- Gold 6 grandstand
- Gold 7 grandstands
- Gold 8 grandstand
- Gold 9 grandstand
- Silver 1 grandstand
- Silver 2 grandstand
- Silver 3 grandstand
- Silver 4 grandstand
- Silver 6 grandstand
On a budget, views on whether Coombes or Speed Corner better?
Hi David, I’d probably go for Combes 1 grandstand on the exit of Turn 7 (Malmedy) as you’re more likely to see some action from there.
Thank you for the detailed guide to the Speed Corner. We are planning on driving to the circuit and realized that the Green Car Park is sold out for Sunday. Do you have any recommendations for alternate parking for the Speed Corner as we are arriving with kids.
The Malmedy asphalt parking (with shuttle) takes you to the Les Combes entrances which is only a short walk from Speed Corner.