History 1960s

1960 Tour de Belgique (Belgium)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1960 Tour de Belgique (Belgium)

Date: October 14–16, 1960

Start Location: Brussels, Belgium

Finish Location: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

Total Distance: ~1,600 km (total route), ~550 km (competitive stages)

Surface: Asphalt (tarmac rally)

A beloved event among tarmac purists, the 1960 Tour de Belgique offered sweeping bends, dense Ardennes forests, and high-speed specials that rewarded rhythm and precision. With Belgian motorsport at a high, this edition was a tightly fought battle over rain-slicked roads and near-constant elevation changes—anchored by a dramatic finale at Spa-Francorchamps.

Route

Brussels to Namur: Smooth national roads and early high-speed regularity tests set the tone for the event.
Ardennes Region: Tight corners, damp forest routes, and narrow lanes through Liège and Bastogne tested visibility and vehicle balance.
High Fens Plateau: Open, wind-blown terrain with high-speed corners and misty farm roads made navigation tricky.
Spa Circuit Finale: A final competitive section on the historic Spa-Francorchamps layout brought the rally to a dramatic close.

Belgium’s dense road network made for a tightly packed but punishing route:

The frequent rain and cold autumn air turned an otherwise “smooth” tarmac event into a battle of grip and guts across every region.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Willy Mairesse & Lucien Bianchi · Ferrari 250 GT
2nd Place
Olivier Gendebien & Claude Dubois · Porsche 356B Carrera
3rd Place
Franz Hummel & Maurice Devillers · Saab 93F

Mairesse and Bianchi dominated the fast tarmac with their Ferrari 250 GT, using the car’s superior speed and composure to full advantage. Gendebien kept pressure on throughout, but it wasn’t enough to unseat the eventual winners.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Rain and Visibility: Fog across the Ardennes and rain-slicked roads pushed visibility and reflexes to the limit.
  • Pace and Consistency: The rally’s high-speed nature made any navigation error or brake lock-up incredibly costly.
  • Mixed Field Performance: Smaller cars could match big-power entries in tricky sectors, keeping tension high across every stage.

The 1960 Tour de Belgique demanded finesse over brute strength, and rewarded those who danced along the edge of grip rather than stomped through it. A legendary win for Mairesse and Bianchi, and a benchmark in Belgian rallying history.

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