ART Grand Prix Formula 3 driver Christian Mansell has concluded that the infamous Eau Rogue and Raidillon section of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit should remain, despite conversations in recent years about alterations after the deaths of two junior drivers.
Promising Frenchman Anthoine Hubert was killed at Eau Rogue in a Formula 2 crash in 2019 in dry conditions, whilst Dutch teenager Dilano van ‘t Hoff perished in the wet at the Kemmel kink just after the complex last year.
The deaths, as well as other accidents – including one that caused collarbone and vertebra injuries to Jack Aitken in WEC three years ago – have caused discussions in the motorsport community as to whether the section of the track should remain, but Mansell, despite acknowledging the dangers involved, believes that, on balance, the status quo should be maintained, believing that all drivers are aware of the risks involved.
“It’s a sensitive topic, and it isn’t nice to speak about,” he told Motorsport Week, adding: “The only thing I can say is that motorsport is dangerous. We have the same percentage of having an accident at every single circuit, and it is what it is to a certain degree.
“I love what I do more than anything in the world, but I’m not naive enough to know there isn’t risks I take, but at at the end of the day, my love of the sport outweighs the fear of having a major accident.
“The changes they have made to Eau Rogue and Raidillon I think were quite good, and back to the question: ‘should it even be there?’ It should to a certain degree because you’d take away a historic corner, but the question is: ‘would you keep a dangerous corner because of the history?’ Well, in fairness, it’s situation-dependent.
“Unfortunately, two young people have lost their lives and that’s very very sad, but as a percentage, that’s quite low. That’s sad and quite cut-throat to say, but we all know it’s dangerous and we all know the risk.”
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