Circuit Zolder

Motorsport track in Belgium

Zolder, Belgium's Grand Prix Interlude

Opened in 1963 to a John Hugenholtz design, the rolling Zolder circuit held the Belgian Grand Prix ten times between 1973 and 1984.

For a decade, the Belgian Grand Prix made its home at Zolder, a rolling track of about 4 km at Heusden Zolder that also goes by the name Circuit Terlamen. John Hugenholtz designed it and it was built in 1963, and ten years later Formula 1 arrived. Apart from the two visits Nivelles Baulers received, in 1972 and 1974, the Belgian race was held at Zolder through 1982.

Its years in the championship spread the honors widely. Jackie Stewart won the first visit in 1973, Niki Lauda won in both 1975 and 1976, and Gunnar Nilsson took his only Grand Prix victory here in 1977. Didier Pironi's first win came at Zolder in 1980.

The 1982 meeting is remembered for loss. In qualifying, Gilles Villeneuve's Ferrari struck the March of Jochen Mass at speed, and Villeneuve, thrown out as the car tumbled, did not survive. The Belgian Grand Prix went to Spa Francorchamps for 1983, returned to Zolder once more in 1984 and then settled at Spa for good from 1985. Michele Alboreto won that final Zolder race for Ferrari, carrying Villeneuve's number 27.

Zolder held 10 championship rounds in all, from 1973 to 1984. It has stayed busy since with national and international racing, from touring cars and GT cars to endurance events that include a 24 hour race of its own, and it has welcomed world championships in road cycling, cyclo cross and BMX, so on certain weekends the fastest machine on the circuit has pedals.

Every Grand Prix here

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