Eau Rouge or Raidillon? - Circuit Spa-Francorchamps OLD VERSION

Eau Rouge, the mythic corner at Spa-Francorchamps, home of the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix. But is Eau Rouge the right name? Or is it Raidillon? This video clarifies the name confusion about the world's most famous corner.

"Do F1 Fans Know The Difference Between Eau Rouge & Raidillon?"

Ask an average F1 fan what's the Eau Rouge and he will say it's the steep corner. But that's Raidillon actually...

Before 1939 the Spa-Francorchamps circuit made usage of the l'Ancienne Douane hairpin to go uphill to the Masta section. They first turned left through a corner called Eau Rouge, after the brook that flews here.

For the 1939 Belgian Grand Prix they want to make the circuit faster. A new artificial corner was built between the Eau Rouge and Masta, which was a section with fast corners then.

Because the corner was very steed they called is Raidillon. Raid is French for steep. So raidillon means actually ramp.

For some reason the steep corner is called incorrect Eau Rouge by the mass. Reporters tell new fans it's Eau Rouge, and they believe that. Even most drivers today think it's Eau Rouge.

If you tell it's actually Raidillon most people will fight that first. But if I have put all the evidence on the table they come up with a fallacy to continue to use the incorrect name Eau Rouge.

The core of their replies usually comes down to "Everyone says Eau Rouge, so I keep saying that, even it's wrong.

But the real reason is a complete different one. It has to do with our primal instinct. We're all herd animals, so deviating from the group is perilous.

Most people prefer to do or say something that is wrong than that they fall from the group. That is why the Eau Rouge disease is so persistent, as are other widespread misconceptions.

Thanks for watching this video.

[pctshooter]

I have been following Formula 1 for 40 years. I'm not going to say this is wrong but I think there is some confusion in the designation of the turn complex. I think Eau Rouge is short for the Eau Rouge Raidillon complex. I've heard the commentators refer to "going down into Eau Rouge and up through Raidillon."

This is invaluable historical information you have provided to all of us. I am going to subscribe for sure.

[hinavadchhedia]

When your recommendation box gets spammed by Eau Rouge videos....

[TalesFromTheBlahSide]

I've always considered the left hand kink over the river to be Eau Rouge corner, and the right hand uphill bend after it Raidillon. Always irritates me when lazy commentators get it wrong.

[vsm]

it's pretty understandable to me. people refer to the whole complex because these corners are so close to each other you barely ever need to differenciate them with different names. like, people are fine with "Variante Ascari" and they don't go "that's Curva Vialone actually"…

[francescomessina]

It's Raidillon de l'eau rouge actually.

[Circuitsofthepast]

Does it bother you too that the Raidillon is called Eau Rouge? Teach them a lesson and wear this t-shirt!

[maxmouche]

My Dad's been right since 1991 when we stood in the gravel trap of Raidillon after the F1 race (Schumacher's very first GP!). Thank you for this!

[alexleong]

Good to know, thank you for correcting.

Practically though, it is like seeing a hawk and calling it an 'eagle' and vice-versa, frankly either one would be understood.

[JefDeHaes]

Dear Mr. Great upload :) I red much about l'ancienne douane. But i cannot find any footage of racing there. DO you have any?

[TalesFromTheBlahSide]

Nigel Roebuck of Autosport used to regularly state with some irritation that the Spa-Francorchamps circuit was strictly speaking not in the Ardennes region, but that of the Hautes-Fagnes. I don't know if he was correct in that, but I guess he was.

[cozzaronero]

Well i find no difference after watching this because you can't mistake a corner's name for another if you always forget the name itself

*modern problems require modern solutions*

[Volante]

Vorig weekend nog de oude haarspeldbocht bekeken, goed dat het er nog ligt. En ja ik zei het vroeger ook verkeerd dankzij Eurosport (Bert Devies enzo) misschien had Olav Mol het vroeger ook mis.

[charlieseddon]

you have done it won't a bit. it's Eau Rouge then radillon. Eau Rouge is 2 corners then you have carillon as 1.

[carlos]

whats the name of the left kink after RADILLION???....it also should be included in the name eau rouge radillion complex..

[GrandPrixYannick]

I always considered the Raidillon the left kink after the steep up right.

I'll stay onboard that left-right train, I *do not* care if it is wrong. 😏

[izzatramli]

So the left hander is called eau rouge and that steep right corner is called raidillon?

[mateagoston]

The next question is: Mulsanne Straight or Hunaudiéres

[MaxwelldeAraujoRodrigues]

Thanks for the nice video of the Eau Rouge corner, now I know Raidillon is the old turn that brings to the uphill corner and left on the ah I don`t understand anything. For me it`s Eau Rouge.
Accept that, it won`t hurt you.

[Dr.DiegoDuarte]

Wrong! The so called Eau Rouge is the name given to the sequence of corners, left, right and left handers, one of them being the Raidillon, which is the right hander!

[erwanleon]

The most famous corner in the world is the Karoussel in the nordshleife I think