Spa-rk out

438 miles in barely seven and a half hours, despite knarled up traffic at three lots of road works (not very French) and one car crash (more typical), yet the Paso didn't miss a beat. Comfy enough that I could turn round and do it again (and at 57mpg could afford to), and being a Ducati Japanese tourists took turns being photographed next to it in a Belgium petrol station


But Spa - what an event the Bikers Classic turned out to be, and I even missed the rain. Chatted to Sammy Miller about his second place here back in the fifties, wave at Phil Read and Ago, marvel at Marco Lucinello's new goatee, and wonder how a 6 foot plus Dieter Braun ever won a 50cc world championship

And as for the circuit - pictures don't begin to tell you about the very literal ups and downs. Sammy says that even today it eats engines, and an 80s car endurance racer told me of the difficulty controlling a car as it crests the top of hills. Book your weekend off for the 2011 event asap

More pics here