Zolder hosted the Belgian Grand Prix on ten occasions: 1973, 1975 through 1982, and 1984. The circuit temporarily replaced Spa-Francorchamps after Spa fell from the Formula One calendar following the 1970 race; Belgian Grands Prix staged at Nivelles-Baulers in 1972 and 1974 were the only exceptions during this period.
The 1973 Belgian Grand Prix was a turbulent debut. Late resurfacing work caused the tarmac to break up, requiring overnight repairs; despite the chaotic conditions, Tyrrell took a commanding 1-2 finish with Jackie Stewart leading François Cevert. Niki Lauda won back-to-back Grands Prix at Zolder in 1975 and 1976. In 1977 Gunnar Nilsson scored his only Formula One victory at the circuit, driving for Lotus. Didier Pironi became a first-time winner in 1980 in the Ligier. The 1981 race was marked by a mechanic's death in the pitlane during warm-up, a subsequent drivers' strike, and chaos at the start.
The 1984 Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder was the last Formula One race held at the circuit. Michele Alboreto won for Ferrari, driving the number 27 car — the same number Gilles Villeneuve had carried. Since 1985, the Belgian Grand Prix has been held exclusively at Spa-Francorchamps.
The Formula One race lap record stands at 1:19.294, set by René Arnoux in a Ferrari 126C4 during the 1984 Belgian Grand Prix.
During qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix, Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve was killed when his Ferrari 126C2 collided at high speed with the March 821 of Jochen Mass. The impact destroyed Villeneuve's car and ejected him from the wreckage. He died in hospital that evening from head injuries. A monument to Villeneuve stands at the top of the pitlane, and flowers are regularly placed at the corner that now bears his name. The death prompted the Belgian Grand Prix to move to Spa-Francorchamps for 1983, returning to Zolder only once more in 1984.
The circuit's undulating profile through the sandy Belgian landscape gives it a character distinct from most European venues. The layout demands precision under braking and through quick direction changes; original fast sections were progressively tempered by safety modifications. A major rebuild in 1986 introduced the Villeneuve chicane, reprofiled several corners, and added additional barriers. Safety work has continued since, including adaptations from 2006 onwards. The circuit's current layout measures 4.011 km and retains the essential character of the original Hugenholtz design.
Beyond Formula One, Zolder hosted the 1980 Belgian Motorcycle Grand Prix. In 2007 it staged a Champ Car World Series round. In subsequent years the circuit has hosted FIA European Truck Racing Championship rounds, NASCAR Euro Series events, and the 24 Hours of Zolder endurance race. It remains an active national circuit serving club and semi-professional racing.
The circuit and its surroundings have been a venue for elite cycling. The UCI Road World Championships were held at Zolder in 1969 and 2002; the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships took place there in 1970, 2002, and 2016. The 2016 cyclo-cross championship gained international attention when competitor Femke Van den Driessche was found to have a concealed electric motor inside her bicycle — the first confirmed case of mechanical doping in professional cycling. Since 2009 the circuit has hosted World Cup cyclo-cross rounds in December. The UCI BMX World Championships were staged at Zolder in 2015 and 2019.
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