Circuit Zolder

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 two races at Nivelles-Baulers in 1972 and 1974 (both won by Emerson Fittipaldi), 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 821 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 , 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. 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. In 2019 and for the first time ever the UCI BMX World Championships returned 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.

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

Noise limits

In general Circuit Zolder has a noise limit of 96 dbA, 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 test days and most racing weekends, the noise limits are removed.

Layout history

| File:Circuit Zolder-1963-1972.svg | Original Grand Prix Circuit (1963–1972) | File:Circuit Zolder-1973-1974.svg | Grand Prix Circuit (1973–1974) | File:Circuit Zolder-1975-1985.svg | Grand Prix Circuit (1975–1985) | File:Circuit Zolder-1986-2001.svg | Grand Prix Circuit (1986–2001) | File:Circuit Zolder-2002.svg | Grand Prix Circuit (2002–present)

Events

; Current

• May: Belcar New Race Festival, Porsche Sprint Challenge Benelux
• June: Supercar Challenge Supercar Madness
• July: DMV Goodyear Racing Days
• August: Belcar 24 Hours of Zolder, Historic Grand Prix Zolder
• September: FIA European Truck Racing Championship Belgian Truck Grand Prix
• October: NASCAR Euro Series NASCAR GP Belgium - EuroNASCAR Finals, Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, Fun Cup, Belcar

; Former

• ADAC Formel Masters (2011)
• ADAC GT Masters (2007, 2011)
• ATS Formel 3 Cup (1972–1973, 1977–1979, 1981–1988, 1990–1994, 2000, 2011)
• Auto GP (2001, 2004, 2009, 2017)
• BMW M1 Procar Championship (1979)
• Blancpain Sprint Series (2014–2015, 2017–2018)
• BOSS GP (2000, 2003–2010, 2013, 2015, 2017)
• British Formula 3 International Series (1976, 1984–1986)
• Champ Car World Series
  • Belgian Champ Car Grand Prix (2007)
• Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (2002, 2019–2021)
• Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (1984–1994)
• DTM Trophy (2020)
• ERA Championship (2022)
• Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2001, 2005–2007)
• Eurocup Mégane Trophy (2005–2007)
• European Formula 5000 Championship (1974–1975)
• European Formula Two Championship (1975, 1980, 1983)
• European Touring Car Championship (1963–1968, 1977–1988, 2001)
• European Touring Car Cup (2015, 2017)
• FIA ETCR – eTouring Car World Cup (2022)
• FIA European Formula 3 Championship (1977–1984)
• FIA Formula Two Championship (2010)
• FIA GT Championship (1999–2001, 2007–2009)
• FIA GT1 World Championship (2011–2012)
• FIM Endurance World Championship (1971–1972, 2006)
• Formula 750 (1977)
• Formula BMW ADAC (2002)
• Formula BMW Europe (2008)
• Formula One
  • Belgian Grand Prix (1973, 1975–1982, 1984)
• Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2005–2006)
• Formula Volkswagen Germany (2001–2002)
• French Formula Renault Championship (1978–1982)
• Grand Prix motorcycle racing
  • Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix (1980)
• GT4 European Series (2009, 2011, 2018)
• (1996, 2013–2019)
• International Formula 3000 (1988)
• International GTSprint Series (2013)
• International Sports Racing Series (1997)
• Masters of Formula 3 (2007–2008)
• Porsche Carrera Cup Germany (1989–1998, 2002)
• SEAT León Eurocup (2010)
• Sidecar World Championship (1980)
• Super Tourenwagen Cup (1994–1997)
• Superleague Formula
  • Superleague Formula round Belgium (2008–2011)
• Superstars Series (2013)
• TCR Europe Touring Car Series (2016, 2020, 2024)
• V8Star Series (2002)
• W Series (2019)
• World Series by Nissan (2003–2004)
• World Touring Car Championship
  • FIA WTCC Race of Belgium (2010–2011)
• World Touring Car Cup
  • FIA WTCR Race of Belgium (2020)

; Cycling

• 1981 Tour de France
• 2002 UCI Road World Championships
• 2002 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships
• 2016 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships
• 2019 UCI BMX World Championships
• Grand Prix Erik De Vlaeminck
• Telenet SuperPrestige Cyclocross

Lap records

The unofficial all-time outright track record is 1:12.821, set by Sébastien Bourdais in a Panoz DP01, during 2nd qualifying for the 2007 Belgian Champ Car Grand Prix. As of September 2025, the fastest official race lap records at the Circuit Zolder are listed as:

Notes

References

References

1. "Circuit Zolder".
2. (1 February 2016). "Cyclist Femke Van den Driessche caught with hidden motor inside bike during race". [[New York Daily News]].
3. . ["UCI BMX World Championships"](http://www.circuit-zolder.be/en/events/uci-bmx-world-championships-2015).
4. (20 April 2015). "NASCAR Whelen Euro Series: What's New In 2015". [[Whelen Engineering Company.
5. Khorounzhiy, Valentin. (12 January 2019). "DTM abandons night-race format at Misano round for 2019". [[Autosport]].
6. (14 September 2019). "H. ESSERS Belgian Truck Grand Prix - Circuit Zolder, length 4000 m 13. September - 15. September 2019 - MAXX Formula Result Race 1".
7. (29 April 2006). "2006 Formula Renault 3.5 Zolder Race 1 Statistics".
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18. (1 June 2008). "2008 Formula BMW Europe Zolder (Race 1)".
19. (22 June 2019). "2019 IDM Zolder IDM SSP600-STK600 1. Race".
20. (12 June 2011). "ADAC Masters Weekend Zolder 10.06. - 12.06.2011 Circuit Zolder ADAC Formel Ergebnis Rennen 2".
21. (18 October 2020). "DTM Trophy Zolder 2020".
22. (4 October 2020). "2020 NASCAR GP Belgium Round 2 Results".
23. (7 July 2002). "2002 German V8 Touring Cars Round 5: Zolder, 7th July".
24. (22 September 2013). "Truck Grand Prix 2013 - Formula Renaults 1.6 - Race 1".
25. (10 July 2022). "FIA ETCR - Race of Zolder 8-10 July 2022 Pool Furious - Semi Final 2 - 300KW - 40s. PU".
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27. (8 July 2018). "2018 IDM Zolder IDM SSP300 2. Race".
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29. (20 September 2015). "ETC Cup 2015 » Zolder Round 9 Results".
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37. (19 August 2001). "2001 German Formula Volkswagen - Round 4: Zolder, 19th August".
38. (20 May 2001). "European Super Touring Championship 2001 » Zolder Round 9 Results".
39. (18 July 1999). "FIA GT Championship Zolder 1999".
40. (10 April 1994). "Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft 1994 » Zolder Round 1 Results".
41. (10 April 1994). "Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft 1994 » Zolder Round 2 Results".
42. (21 July 1996). "1996-07-20 to 1996-07-21 International Pro-Superbike Championship Race 1".
43. (17 October 1999). "Belcar Zolder BM 1999".
44. (4 April 1992). "Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft 1992 » Zolder Round 1 Results".
45. (30 May 1993). "ADAC GT Cup Zolder 1993".
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47. (20 March 1983). "DRM Zolder 1983".
48. (15 April 1984). "1984 Zolder European F3".
49. (27 April 1975). "1975 Zolder F5000".
50. (23 August 1981). "DRM Zolder Westfalen-Pokal 1981".
51. (13 June 1976). "Interserie Zolder 1976".
52. (20 March 1983). "Rennsport Trophäe Zolder 1983".
53. (12 May 1979). "1979 Zolder BMW Procar".
54. (21 May 1978). "1978 Championnat de France Formule Renault Zolder".
55. (4 September 1977). "Belgium Zolder 1977".
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60. (25 August 1963). "1963 Grote Prijs van Zolder Junior".
61. (5 May 1968). "Zolder 1 Hour - Division 2 1968".
62. (21 May 1967). "European Touring Car Cup Zolder - Division 2 1967".