Circuit Zolder

The Circuit Zolder, also known as Circuit Terlamen, is an undulating 4.011 km (2.492 mi) motorsport race track in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium.

"Zolder" redirects here. For the town of the same name, see Heusden-Zolder.
Circuit Zolder
LocationHeusden-Zolder, Belgium
Time zoneCET (UTC+1)
CEST (DST)
FIA Grade2
Opened1963
Major eventsCurrent:
FIA European Truck Racing Championship
NASCAR Whelen Euro Series (2015–present)
FIA ETCR (2022)
24 Hours of Zolder (1983–2019, 2021–present)
Former:
Formula One
Belgian Grand Prix (1973, 1975–1982, 1984)
Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix (1980)
FIA WTCR Race of Belgium (2010–2011, 2020)
FIM EWC (1971–1972, 2006)
Sidecar World Championship (1980)
DTM (2002, 2019–2021)
TCR Europe (2020)
Blancpain GT Series (2014–2015, 2017–2018)
W Series (2019)
Superleague Formula (2008–2011)
Belgian Champ Car Grand Prix (2007)
FIA GT (1999–2001, 2007–2009)
Masters of Formula 3 (2007–2008)
Grand Prix Circuit (2002–present)
Length4.010 km (2.492 miles)
Turns10
Race lap record1:14.089 ( Sébastien Bourdais, Panoz DP01, 2007, Champ Car)
Grand Prix Circuit (1986–2001)
Length4.184 km (2.600 miles)
Turns10
Race lap record1:28.270 ( Olivier Grouillard, Lola T88/50, 1988, F3000)
Grand Prix Circuit (1975–1985)
Length4.262 km (2.648 miles)
Turns15
Race lap record1:19.294 ( René Arnoux, Ferrari 126C4, 1984, Formula One)
Grand Prix Circuit (1973–1974)
Length4.220 km (2.622 miles)
Turns14
Race lap record1:23.850 ( Teddy Pilette, Chevron B28, 1974, Formula 5000)
Original Grand Prix Circuit (1963–1972)
Length4.186 km (2.601 miles)
Turns12
Race lap record1:26.400 ( Jochen Rindt, 1970, 1974, Formula Two)
Websitewww.circuit-zolder.be
Circuit Zolder, 6 November 2008

History

Built in 1963, Zolder hosted the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix on 10 separate occasions in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the 1980 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix. F1 moved to Zolder in 1973 and with the exception of a race at Nivelles-Baulers in 1974, Zolder was the location of the Belgian Grand Prix until 1982. That year, Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve was killed during qualifying at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix. Villeneuve's Ferrari 126C2 collided at speed with the March of Jochen Mass. The Ferrari was torn up in the accident and when rolling, Villeneuve was thrown from the car.

After Villeneuve's death, the Belgian Grand Prix was held at Spa-Francorchamps in 1983, before returning to Zolder one final time in 1984. Fittingly, Ferrari driver Michele Alboreto won the race carrying Villeneuve's #27 on his car. Since 1985, the Belgian Grand Prix has permanently moved to Spa.

Zolder has also been used for cycling events including the UCI Road World Championships twice in 1969 and 2002 and the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in 1970, 2002 and 2016. The latter saw the first confirmed use of mechanical doping when Femke Van den Driessche was found to have a secret motor inside her bike.[1] Since 2009, Circuit Zolder has hosted a cyclo-cross race in December for the World Cup. The circuit hosted the UCI BMX World Championships in 2015.[2] In 2019 and for the first time ever the UCI BMX World Championships will return to Circuit Zolder.

In the beginning of 2006, the track underwent safety adaptations. In 2007, the track hosted a Champ Car World Series Grand Prix, and a round of the FIA GT Championship. The track was venue of a round of the World Series by Renault championship from 2003 to 2006, and replaced Zandvoort as site for the Masters of Formula 3 in 2007 and 2008. Zolder was featured on the car programme Top Gear in 2008. In the episode, the show's British hosts competed against their German counterparts from D MOTOR. Zolder hosted also the FIA WTCC Race of Belgium in 2010, 2011, and 2020. The last race they drove in 2011 was won by Rob Huff in a Chevrolet and Gabriele Tarquini in a SEAT. The WTCC then disappeared from the Belgian circuits until in 2014 the circus returned to Spa.

At this time, mainly the Blancpain Sprint Series and the BRCC national championship hosted a race in Zolder. The 24 Hours of Zolder endurance event is also held as a stand-alone event around the end of August or the beginning of September. NASCAR Whelen Euro Series have hosted their final race of the season in Zolder since 2015.[3]

In 2019, for the first time in 17 years, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters returned to Circuit Zolder.[4] But the circuit lost its place in the DTM calendar to Spa-Francorchamps in 2022.

Lap records

The official fastest race lap records at the Circuit Zolder are listed as:

CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEventCircuit Map
Grand Prix Circuit: 4.010 km (2002–present)
Champ Car1:14.089Sébastien BourdaisPanoz DP012007 Belgian Champ Car Grand Prix
F11:16.002[5]Klass ZwartJaguar R52017 Zolder BOSS GP round
Formula Renault 3.51:17.781[6]Pastor MaldonadoDallara T052006 Zolder Formula Renault 3.5 Series round
Superleague Formula1:18.806Davide RigonPanoz DP092010 Zolder Superleague Formula round
DTM1:20.140[7]René RastAudi RS5 Turbo DTM 20202020 2nd Zolder DTM round
FTwo (2009–2012)1.24.038Sergey AfanasyevWilliams JPH12010 Zolder Formula Two round
Formula 31.25.680James JakesDallara F3052007 Masters of Formula 3
GT11:26.220[8]Andrea BertoliniMaserati MC12 GT12009 FIA GT Zolder 2 Hours
GT31:27.257[9]Nico MüllerAudi R8 LMS Evo2021 Zolder DTM round
Formula Renault 2.01:28.094[10]Xavier MaassenTatuus FR20002006 Zolder Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 round
W Series1:29.629Beitske VisserTatuus F.3 T-3182019 W Series Zolder round
GT21:31.449[11]Gianmaria BruniFerrari F430 GT22008 FIA GT Zolder 2 Hours
GT41:36.506[12]Lucas MauronAudi R8 LMS GT4 Evo2020 Zolder DTM Trophy round
TCR Touring Car1:36.724Nathanaël BerthonAudi RS 3 LMS TCR2020 FIA WTCR Race of Belgium
Stock car racing1:36.901[13]Alon DayChevrolet Camaro NASCAR2020 Zolder NASCAR Whelen Euro Series round
WTCC1:39.517Robert HuffChevrolet Cruze 1.6T2011 FIA WTCC Race of Belgium
Truck racing1:59.024[14]Jochen HahnMAN TGS2016 Zolder ETRC round
Grand Prix Circuit: 4.184 km (1986–2001)
F30001:28.270[15]Olivier GrouillardLola T88/501988 Zolder F3000 round
GT11:31.348[16]Mike HezemansChrysler Viper GTS-R2001 FIA GT Zolder 500km
SR11:31.552[17]Didier TheysFerrari 333 SP1997 International Sports Racing Series Zolder
N-GT1:35.136[16]Christian PescatoriFerrari 360 Modena N-GT2001 FIA GT Zolder 500km
Super Touring1:35.432[18]Gabriele TarquiniHonda Accord2001 Zolder ESTC round
DTM1:38.050[19]Nicola LariniAlfa Romeo 155 V6 TI1994 Zolder DTM round
Group A1:47.680[20]Allan GriceNissan Skyline GTS-R HR311988 Zolder ETCC round
Grand Prix Circuit: 4.262 km (1975–1985)
F11:19.294René ArnouxFerrari 126C41984 Belgian Grand Prix
Formula Two1:25.090[21]Jonathan PalmerRalt RH6/831983 Zolder F2 round
Formula 50001:30.900[22]Ian AshleyLola T4001975 Zolder F5000 round
500cc1:40.820Marco LucchinelliSuzuki RGB5001980 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix
Group 21:45.200[23]Dieter QuesterBMW 3.5 CSL1977 Zolder ETCC round
Group A1:46.530[24]Gianfranco BrancatelliVolvo 240 Turbo1988 Zolder ETCC round
Grand Prix Circuit: 4.220 km (1973–1974)
Formula 50001:23.850[25]Teddy PiletteChevron B281974 Zolder F5000 round
F11:25.420François CevertTyrrell 0061973 Belgian Grand Prix
Original Grand Prix Circuit: 4.186 km (1963–1972)
Formula Two1:26.400[26]Jochen RindtLotus 691970 Zolder F2 round
Group 21:48.400[27]Frank GardnerFord Escort Mk.I Twin Cam1968 Zolder ETCC round

Noise limits

In general Circuit Zolder has a noise limit of 96dbA, which is measured at 2 points along the track. One is just after turn 4 (Bianchi) and the second one is between turn 7 and 8. These can be recognised by blue poles. During international testdays and most racing weekends, the noise limits are removed.

Events
Current
Former
Cycling

References
  1. Vinton, Nathaniel (1 February 2016). "Cyclist Femke Van den Driessche caught with hidden motor inside bike during race". New York Daily News. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  2. "UCI BMX World Championships". Circuit Zolder. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  3. "NASCAR Whelen Euro Series: What's New In 2015". whelen.com. Whelen. 20 April 2015. Archived from the original on 5 August 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  4. Khorounzhiy, Valentin (12 January 2019). "DTM abandons night-race format at Misano round for 2019". autosport.com. Autosport. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  5. "Superprix Zolder 2017 BOSS GP Result of Race 1" (PDF). Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  6. "2006 Formula Renault 3.5 Zolder Session Facts". Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  7. "2020 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Zolder 2 Session Facts". Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  8. "FIA GT Championship Zolder 2009". Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  9. "2021 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Zolder Session Facts". Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  10. "2006 Formula Renault 2.0 Euro Zolder Session Facts". Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  11. "FIA GT Championship Zolder 2008". Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  12. "DTM Trophy Results". Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  13. "2020 NASCAR GP Belgium Round 2 Results". Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  14. "2016 RESULTS: Zolder, Belgium - Race 1". Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  15. "1988 F3000 Zolder Session Facts". Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  16. "FIA GT Championship Zolder 2001". Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  17. "International Sports Racing Series Zolder 1997". Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  18. "European Super Touring Championship 2001 » Zolder Round 9 Results". Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  19. "1994 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Zolder Session Facts". Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  20. "ETCC Zolder 1988". Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  21. "1983 Zolder F2". Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  22. "1975 Zolder F5000". Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  23. "ETCC Zolder 1977". Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  24. "1985 Zolder ETCC". Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  25. "1974 Zolder F5000". Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  26. "1970 Zolder F2". Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  27. "Zolder 1 Hour - Division 2 1968". Retrieved 4 May 2022.

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