The Circuit des Ardennes was the first major race to be held on a closed course, instead of running from city to city. Free from any urban control sections where the contest was neutralised which had been prone to error and exploitation at other events. It was the idea of the president of the sports committee of the Belgian national club Baron Pierre de Crawhez, who suggested the location due to the undulating terrain, challenging roads, and low population. Writing about the inaugural 1902 event in A Record of Motor Racing 1894-1908, Gerard Rose noted that “The dust was very bad, and was aggravated by some of the spectators, who insisted on motoring round the Circuit during the race.” The 1903 race went ahead despite the recent Paris-Madrid tragedies and an unknown individual spreading nails on the course. Winner of that second edition was de Crawhez who had originally suggested the event. The 1904 race, on an extended circuit who had been covered in tar to reduce dust, produced the closest finish when George Heath defeated Georges Teste by less than a minute. Two races were held in 1907, the first adopting rules for that year’s one-off Kaiserpreis and the second for Grand Prix cars. The 1908 race was cancelled due to a date clash with the Coppa Florio. It was not repeated but a tradition of racing in the region that continues today at Spa-Francorchamps had been established.
