Nature’s Victory Lap: The Forgotten F1 Track Being Reclaimed by the Wild

Just south of Brussels, hidden in the quiet fields of Walloon Brabant, lies a secret most racing fans have never seen. Where Formula 1 cars once screamed at 280 km/h, now only the wind whistles through cracked asphalt and wildflowers bloom in the racing line.

This is Nivelles-Baulers – a Grand Prix ghost story.

The “Safe” Circuit That Nobody Loved

Back in the late 60s, everyone knew Spa-Francorchamps was deadly. Belgium’s answer? Build a modern, safe alternative. Designed by John Hugenholtz (the genius behind Suzuka), Nivelles opened in 1971 with wide runoff areas and clear sightlines.

But racers yawned. Fans shrugged. The track felt… clinical. Too perfect. Too flat. As one local told me: “It had all the soul of a parking lot.”

Two Brief Moments of Glory

Despite the indifference, F1 came twice:

1972: A baby-faced Emerson Fittipaldi dominated in his Lotus.
1974: Fittipaldi won again in a McLaren after dueling Niki Lauda.

Then reality hit. Money vanished. The operating company went bankrupt. Nearby Zolder circuit stole the show with its character (and better management). By 1978, the racing stopped. By 1981, the gates closed forever.

When the Forest Won

What happens when humans abandon a racetrack? Nature writes its own sequel:

Weeds punch through the start/finish straight
Saplings grow through the pit lane
Grandstands rust into lace
That iconic racing line? Now a deer trail

In the 90s, urban explorers would sneak in on dirt bikes, chasing ghosts of Cosworth V8s. Even that faded when the police sealed it tight.

Ghosts in the Industrial Park

Today, it’s almost gone. The “Portes de l’Europe” industrial park covers most of the land – warehouses stand where Fittipaldi took pole position. But look closer:
→ Scraps of red/white curbs poke through weeds
→ Access roads curve like old corners
→ Fly a drone overhead… and the full circuit still whispers in the concrete

Why This Ghost Track Matters

Nivelles wasn’t Spa’s drama or Monaco’s glamour. It was something quieter: Formula 1’s first awkward step toward safety. A necessary experiment that failed spectacularly.

Yet in its decay, it found strange beauty. Where else does a hairpin turn into a bird sanctuary? Where else do champion’s footprints fade under dandelions?

If You Go (Because You Should)
No museum. No fanfare. Just: