Chimay to be forcibly closed

[PaulSands]

Chimay road racing circuit in Belgium is to be forcibly closed
to motorcar racing, after an illustrious 79 years.

After an 11th-hour circuit inspection by the RACB
(the Belgian governing body) -- just eight weeks
before their flagship 80th Anniversary event was
due to be staged (on 21-23 July) -- the organisers
of the Chimay Historycar Festival have found
themselves without a permit with which to run their
event under a National licence.

In an extraordinary meeting convened by the RACB
on Thursday 1 June, the RACB also dictated that the
organisers of the Chimay event may not even run
their event via the alternative route of a Provincial
licence. This draconian action by the RACB will
therefore prevent any form of car circuit racing from
taking place at this historic road-racing venue,
leaving Belgium with just Spa and Zolder to
accommodate the loss of this unique and evocative
meeting in the future.

I think the Top Hat site will contain the full press release

[carsten.meurer]

hope you are jokeing !

this was one of the best places to go to !
surely because it needed some resonsibility from the driver, as it is
obvious that it can be dangerous and bite back !

i had a go there in my FVL last year, and that surely was on the limit of what is sensible.
i missed out on fastest time of the weekend by a few tenths, as i was held up by slower traffic all the time, and you need to respect them in a 'demonstration'.

i really hope they get it going again !
the roads feel like the old le mans at places, and the whole place was
soooo friendly ! even my mom said ' like racing used to be 30 years back ! '.

KEEP CHIMAY ALIVE !

[PaulSands]

no joke

[Rob29]

Sad news.Would be interesting to learn what the problem is-I don't recall any serious accidents in recent years.Or is this political like the proposed law in the USA to ban street racing on account of noise,alegedly promoted by owners of existing ovals?
Bikes are not affected as they do not come under the RACB?

[Peter Mallett]

I hope they can find a way round this. Its on my list of things to do before .....................

[Alan Raine]

I've heard a lot about the circuit although have never been there and don't even know what it looks like!

What I do know is, that for it close would be a shame and another nail in the coffin in what I call 'Good old Traditional Motor Racing"

As Peter says "on my list of things to do before ..........."

[simon drabble]

I had a very enjoyable race there with Top Hat a few years ago and had entered the 3 hour and 1 hour race there this year - it is very sad a case of Belgium politics I fear

[esper]

Never say never especially in Belgium. They are great in finding alternatives which in the end fits everybody. But it takes time and politics and so hope for the years to come. I raced once in Chimay and it was great but the "outlap" with the Chimay beer etc etc maybe even better.

[zefarelly]

We raced there last year with Top Hat and had a fantastic weekend, and where all booked and paid up to return for the 3 hour this year, its bad news for sure.

Its a circuit which demands some respect amd certainly rewards a smooth dirve, but I don't think its any more dangerous than many other older circuits.
I agree with the LEMans reference, the proximity of Armco and public roads makes for a very dramatic drive in places

Fingers corssed it returns for next summer

[Simon Adams]

There is more to this than meets the eye............ the weekend before Chimay's Historycar event is the traditional historic bike weekend. I know different issuers for permits etc but still.

More "unusual" however is surely the rumour I have heard from very good sources that someone working with the event at Spa (the weekend before) has a connection with the issuing of permits for the RACB.

Remember, it is a rumour so without contacting the man (or woman!) it will have to remain as that, so don't sue me!

[Seoigh]

...and the Trappist Brewery in Chimay is the BEST!

[Eddy V]

The strange thing about all this is that there is no talk about this in the local Belgian press.
But it has been hanging around for ages: if you go against the RACB, you're dead meat, sooner or later.

Those blazer people don't like it when something is succesfull, without them getting their hands in.

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by Eddy V

The strange thing about all this is that there is no talk about this in the local Belgian press.
But it has been hanging around for ages: if you go against the RACB, you're dead meat, sooner or later.

Those blazer people don't like it when something is succesfull, without them getting their hands in.

Thats interesting Eddy, and possibly backs up why I've not had a response from our accomodation people, I emailed an appology with our cancellation and mentioned that I hope the locals voice their dissaproval as the tourism must generate a fair bit of well appreciated income over the long weekend

[graeme]

IF Chimay survives, is there any chance of being able to race my relatively-modern Caterham there (It's slower than most of your historics...)?

[simon drabble]

not in a historic race!! I am sure there is a domestic Caterham or race what ya brung type series you could enter though

[Peter Mallett]

The Chinmay and Phoenix Park threads might benefit from being separated. Perhaps one of the mods could oblige?

[graeme]

Originally Posted by simon drabble

not in a historic race!! I am sure there is a domestic Caterham or race what ya brung type series you could enter though

From what little I've seen it seems to be one of those tracks like Goodwood or Charade that you can only race on if you've an historic

[Eddy V]

They only do (did?) Historics Graeme as they fell out with RACB a few years ago. Chimay thought they could get away organising meetings without the MSA support, but I guess somebody woke up there.

Odd thing is that all the other events are still on.

[carsten.meurer]

greame,

i am sure you could have raced your caterham in the friday 3 hour race
organized by the belgians themself .

they had everything from cup clio to porsche gt3 in that !

we were hoping to enter my new escort for it if ready...

sadly i fear the car will be due for a rebuild again once chimay is back on shedule ! :-(

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

The Chinmay and Phoenix Park threads might benefit from being separated. Perhaps one of the mods could oblige?

Now done, thanks, Peter!

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by Simon Adams

There is more to this than meets the eye............ the weekend before Chimay's Historycar event is the traditional historic bike weekend. I know different issuers for permits etc but still.

More "unusual" however is surely the rumour I have heard from very good sources that someone working with the event at Spa (the weekend before) has a connection with the issuing of permits for the RACB.

Remember, it is a rumour so without contacting the man (or woman!) it will have to remain as that, so don't sue me!

You can't beat some corruption allegations to spice up the debate

By all accounts Belgium is the best place in Europe for beaurocracy as well allagedly, obviously

[esper]

I always wonder about the fact that there is only one governing body isueing permits for racing? But when 2 electricity companies want to merge its forbidden by Eurocrats in Brussels..............................
Fact is only one governing body improves politics about permits, and does it really add to improve safety in racing? I am sure that racing in Chimay is safe enough, it all depends on drivers and there mentality towards the Chimay meeting. Events like this are a must and have to be secured for the future. How can I ever aexplain how beautifull racing was in the glorious past , to my children in 15 years as we are only left with "Tilke"circuits.

[zefarelly]

A very Good point Esper, Likewise I'd love to ba able to take my son to circuits to see races, not just listen to some old man talking about what was !

if he behaves himself he might get a drive in the car as well

[carsten.meurer]

seems it is only us 4 wheel racers stupid enough to be lead by a monopolistic
structure...

most motorcycle guys have started to do theire own 'race meetings' without
our governing bodys. they somehow safe a lot of money, without having
more deads...

in the 80s the german msa forbid all its licens holders to take part in
competing bodys authorised races, threatening to withdraw theire
competition licens.
i too feel that under eu law it might not stand a court case...

i would love the major of chimay to go ahead and close the track as usual,
invite all the races that whant to use this roads to come and join in,
( obviously no entry fee... - but for being able to race tere i would buy a
bottle of chimay for 250 quid... ) and i see no way the belgian msa could stop it !

racers are just like sheap...
sad case that the sheappard has lost the plot !

[PeterMorley]

Originally Posted by carsten.meurer

seems it is only us 4 wheel racers stupid enough to be lead by a monopolistic
structure...

most motorcycle guys have started to do theire own 'race meetings' without
our governing bodys. they somehow safe a lot of money, without having
more deads...

Given that the FIA are seemingly self-appointed (they might be recognised by various governments but they weren't appointed by them - unlike the EU) they do not have a monopoly on holding races.

But, as you mentioned, they might not allow FIA events at a circuit that has been used for non-FIA events, and their experience might make it easier for someone to hold an event, so that could be quite persuasive.

It is possible to hold a race without the FIAs involvement, and many clubs do so. There is some issue when you want to run a championship, but there is no law that says all races must be run by the FIA - that is a reason why the FIA do not break EU monopoly rules (they have been investigated, and spend a lot of effort ingratiating themselves with the EU).

If an event is on private land you have more freedom, the problem is that Chimay is not on private land, and unlike Spa there is no alternative route in place.

It is possible that the government has said that all events on public roads must be ran under FIA rules, in which case the issue is why should they?

An event as outlined by Carsten should be possible, I've seen several 'demonstrations' in Belgian towns where they put a few barriers up and let people race round the main square!

As for Esper's comments about monopoly investigation I was going to reply before but gave up (since it could be a very long and possibly boring discussion that is totally unrelated), but I was going to say that the EU investigate mergers that affect the general public (e.g. their utility supplies, and companies directly employing large numbers of people).

Racing is a private activity where the members participate of their own free will - it is effectively a private club - it is the participants who have decided to participate under the FIA's rules, but they do have the option of running events outside of them.

Maybe someone should establish a federation for historic racing, if it was done correctly it could be acceptable all over the world - or extend one of the existing bodies that already works in countries where the FIA do not have total domination (e.g. America).