One of the best F-1 races coming up this weekend! Although it doesn’t hold the place in my heart that Monte Carlo and Monza do, Spa Francorchamps is pretty damn entertaining! We didn’t race there last year because of the seemingly unending argument over tobacco advertising. Side note: I’m all for tobacco advertising myself; I mean, if people don’t know by now that smoking can be kinda bad for you, I don’t know what more to do for ‘em. Anyway, Spa is back on the calendar and I’m damn glad. So is the reigning World Champion: it’s Michael Schumacher’s favorite track. He’s won there six times, breaking the previous record of five wins held by (say it with me now) AYRTON SENNA.

The track at Spa has many distinctive features, two of which hold particular interest for me. One is Bus Stop, the only chicane I actually believe made a track more exciting instead of more bland. The other is the infamous Eau Rouge, a section of track named for a nearby stream and the most thrilling corner in the world of motorsport (in my not-so-humble opinion). Michael Schumacher once said, "Eau Rouge is really the most tremendous corner. It is like flying downhill and seeing a big mountain in front of you. You get the feeling that you are driving into the road and then you go up and it is a sensation which is probably the best you can experience and the most satisfaction you can have as a racing driver."

If you’re like my pal Nancy (not interested in racing, but fascinated by language), perhaps it will interest you to know that we call a health resort a ‘spa’ because of Spa. The Romans discovered mineral water in the Ardennes and founded the town of Spa, the name of which is believed to derive from the Latin "espa" (fountain) and "sparsa" (from spargere = to bubble up). It's beautiful, too - check out the Leopold II gallery, for taking exercise after your healing mineral bath. Around town there are lots of pouhons (wells, sources) like this one, which was named after Peter the Great - yeah, the Russian Tzar, who took the cure there in the early 1700s.

The world’s first-ever beauty contest was held in Spa. Hmm, I’m not so sure that’s a good thing. Um, lemme think - casinos! Yeah. There are casinos there too, so you can have fun gambling after you’ve had a restorative. This is my favorite hotel in Spa; if you go there, tell ‘em it was my personal endorsement that prompted your visit. They won’t care, but you can tell ‘em. Also be sure to visit Seven O’Clock Park, which sounds so much prettier and more romantic en français - le parc de sept-heures.

See how informative and educational F-1 racing is???

MONTOYA DELENDA EST!