According to some recent reports in the local media, an access tunnel beneath a section of the track near Spa-Francorchamps' Blanchimont corner has collapsed partially, causing some damage to the run-off area in that section. Nobody was hurt in the incident.
Luckily, no cars were circulating in the aforementioned area at the time. According to the reports, further damage produced by the collapse was to some guard rail, a television camera and some minor cracks in the track.
The most recent renovation work that happened at the Spa-Francorchamps track was back in 2007, when no less than EUR19 million was spent for the redevelopment of the venue. Due to the collapse, the entire venue will be closed this week, in order for the damage to be repaired.
Spa-Francorchamps will host the Belgian Grand Prix in August this year, but it's believed the accident produced at the track this past few days will not influence the running of the event. “The collapsed tunnel, providing access to trucks and also pedestrians, was 6 metres in height,” said the report from the GMM news agency, citing the local media.
In the late stages of the 2009 F1 season, an administrative court in the Wallonia region had revoked the circuit's operating license to host F1 grands prix, but it wasn't because of the potentiality of such incidents, but because of the noise-related complaints issued by the residents of that region. In the meantime, the license was regained by the Spa officials thanks to Philippe Henry, the planning minister of the Wallonia government.
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