Our man in Flanders
With a great car museum, three historic circuits and even an active street circuit, there is always petrol to sniff in Belgium. These are the five events that you should visit in 2024 according to our Flemish correspondent.
We do not need to repeat here that Max Verstappen will do everything he can to win the Belgian GP for the fourth time in a row on Sunday, July 18. Nor that another Historic Grand Prix will take place at Circuit Zolder on the weekend of July 20, or that Interclassics will roll out the red carpets again in Brussels from November 15. No, today we focus on 5 tips that are less known in the Netherlands, but are more than worth it.
Ardenne Rally Festival: May 2-4
With the subtitle Slowly Sideways you already know enough: Group 4, Group B, Group A, Group N and first generation World Rally Cars going crazy. If that recipe sounds familiar, you may have already heard of the renowned Eifel Rallye Festival by the same organizer. For the first Belgian edition rally hero Bruno Thiry takes over the ambassador’s role from Walter Röhrl, while the location of the event moves to the border region between Belgium and France around Vresse-sur-Semois.
24 Hours of Spa: June 29-30
At Spa-Francorchamps, choosing usually means losing, especially when it comes to the period May-June. On June 9, the Le Mans cars will take part in the WEC Spa 6 Hours, as a foretaste of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. On May 17 it is the turn of the classic racing cars during Spa Classic. But the real thing, or The Biggest GT Race in the World, remains the 24h of Spa which always guarantee a racing thriller with 4 seasons in a day. And all of this on the most beautiful circuit in the world.
Fiat 125 Years & Abarth 75 Years @Autoworld: July 4-September 1
Since Sebastien de Baere took over the reins of Autoworld, the Brussels car museum has been stringing together successful exhibitions. This summer is the podium goes to Fiat and Abarth both of which get to blow out a lot of candles, in the presence of another 200 other cars from the Mahy collection that are permanently exhibited there. Later this year, Maserati will do the same for its 110th anniversary, while the Ford Mustang will celebrate its 60th birthday in May. You get the majestic setting of the Brussels Cinquantenaire Park for free.
Antwerp Concours d’Elegance: September 8
It will be celebrated in 2024 Antwerp Concours d’Elegance its 19th anniversary, again in the gardens of the stately Belvédère Castle in Wijnegem. Expect around 100 exclusive cars from all years of automotive production, supplemented with motorcycles and automobilia. In addition to the competition part with about twenty categories, each edition also has a theme. It is not yet known what that will be in 2024. But it is certain that the 60 competing cars will have to put forward their best wheels to win.
Zoute Grand Prix: October 3-6
Although the Brussels Auto Show will also try to fill the gap left by the Brussels Motor Show next year, the consensus in Belgium is that the Zoute Grand Prix is the new car fair. At least for the prestige brands, which like to end the season in fashionable Knokke between wealthy collectors and eager Bonhams bidders. Make a day of it, settle down on a terrace with a Spritz and enjoy all the exclusive toys that circulate during the weekend.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl