The Forgotten Weekend: When Spa-Francorchamps Claimed Two Lives in Six Laps

When Formula One tragedies surface in conversation, 1994's San Marino Grand Prix dominates the narrative. But decades earlier, another weekend proved equally devastating—yet remains eerily absent from collective memory.

The 1960 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps witnessed two driver deaths in a single race. How does such catastrophe fade into obscurity?

The answer lies in understanding what Spa was before 1979. This wasn't the demanding circuit we know today—it was a 14.1-kilometer gauntlet of terror. Public roads carved through Belgian countryside, flanked by trees, ditches, stone houses, and telegraph poles. No gravel traps. No tire barriers. No escape zones.

Jackie Oliver, Le Mans winner and former McLaren driver, recalled corners taken at 270 km/h with "nothing but wet grass or solid obstacles on either side." One mistake meant hitting a tree or flying into a field. Alastair Caldwell, Bruce McLaren's race engineer, remembered the surreal details: "There were cows. Farmhouses. Telegraph poles."

The Weekend Begins

Practice started at 5:30 p.m.—delayed so locals could clear the public roads. Many drivers had never seen Spa before. Innes Ireland set the fastest time at 3:55, averaging 137 mph despite his Lotus misfiring.

Then Saturday's practice session exploded into chaos.

Stirling Moss approached Burnenville at 130 mph when his left rear stub axle snapped. The Lotus launched into the air, throwing Moss onto the track. Broken nose, fractured back, shattered legs—but he survived.

Simultaneously, Michael Taylor's steering column failed at La Carrière. His Lotus slammed into trees at full speed. He survived with a broken collarbone, fractured ribs, and neck injuries.

Two near-fatal crashes. Same afternoon. The weekend had only begun.

Race Day Horror

Sunday's start descended into panic. Mechanics were still on the grid when organizers signaled the race to begin. Miraculously, no one was hit as 17 cars thundered toward La Source.

The opening laps were breathtaking—cars nose-to-tail through Eau Rouge, Burnenville, and the Masta Straight. Jack Brabham led, but Phil Hill's Ferrari was charging hard, overtaking three cars in rapid succession.

Then, on lap 19, everything changed.

Chris Bristow, locked in a fierce midfield battle, lost control approaching Burnenville at over 200 km/h. With no safety restraints, he was ejected violently. His body struck a barbed wire fence. The impact was instantly fatal—and horrifically graphic. He was 22 years old, with just four Grand Prix starts.

Six Laps Later

Alan Stacey approached the same section at 220 km/h when witnesses saw something bizarre: a bird flew directly into his face, shattering his open-face helmet's visor. Blinded or unconscious, he veered off course.

The Lotus struck an embankment, flipped, and tumbled down a hillside. Upon impact, fuel ignited. The car became an inferno with Stacey trapped inside. He was 26, with just five F1 starts.

What made Stacey's story even more remarkable was his perseverance. A motorcycle accident at 17 had cost him part of his right leg. He'd learned to race with a prosthetic limb, dominating at Brands Hatch despite doubters questioning whether someone with his disability could handle F1's demands.

The Race Continued

Two young drivers dead within six laps, on the same stretch of road. The race didn't stop. Jack Brabham took victory—one of only six finishers from 17 starters. It was the fastest-ever lap at Spa, but a hollow triumph.

Formula One continued racing on the old Spa layout until 1968—eight more years after it had proven lethal beyond doubt.

The 1960 Belgian Grand Prix remains one of F1's darkest chapters, yet time has quietly pushed it into shadow. Two promising careers, extinguished in minutes. A reminder that before modern safety transformed the sport, speed demanded the ultimate price.

Want to learn more about this tragic weekend and see rare footage from the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix? Click the video below for the complete story of the race that Formula One tried to forget.