Barcelona's Lost F1 Tracks - Motorsport history of Catalunya

Описание: Barcelona's Lost F1 Tracks - Motorsport history of Catalunya

In this Circuits of the past video I tell you about the lost Formula 1 circuits of Barcelona.

Already in 1908 races where held in the region of Catalonia for the first time, at the Baix Penedes street circuit which was about 70 kilometres from Barcelona.

In the early 20's the first permanent motor racing venue in Spain was built in the seaside resort of Sitges Terramar, about 40 kilometres from Barcelona. The oval race track with a huge 66 degree banking hosted the 1923 Spanish Grand Prix.

Unfortunately, the track went into financial trouble and as a result of the unpayed bills it was shunned by international race series. After a short revive it closed it’s doors when the Spanish civil war broke out in 1936.

In 1946 Grand Prix racing returned to Barcelona for the Penya Rhin Grand Prix at the new street circuit of Pedralbes, a neighbourhood in the city of Barcelona.

The Pedralbes Circuit was a very fast triangular shaped track through the city, with long straights and only a few corners.

In 1950 the Penya Rhin Grand Prix was an inagural race for the new Formula 1 championship. For that edition they expanded the layout of the Pedralbes Circuit and changed the driving direction from anti-clockwise to clockwise.

The 1951 Spanish Grand Prix at Pedralbes was counting for the Formula 1 World Championship. It was also the first official Formula 1 race in Spain. In 1954 the Spanish Grand Prix came back at Pedralbes after an absence of two years.

Actually the 1955 Spanish Grand Prix should also take place at Pedralbes. However, during the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans a huge accident took the lifes of more than 80 spectators! As a result of that, races all over the world where cancelled including the Spanish Grand Prix.

It lead also to an increasement of safety standards for the circuits. This meant the end of the ultra fast street circuit of Pedralbes. So after being operational for only 10 years it was never used again for motorsport.

Formula 1 returned to Barcelona in 1969 with the Spanish Grand Prix on the Montjuich street circuit. The Montjuich Circuit was located on the Montjuich Hill in the city Barcelona and was one of the finest street circuits in motorsport history ever.

During the years 1969 to 1975, the Spanish Grand Prix was alternated between the Catalonian Montjuich Circuit and Jarama near the Spanish capital of Madrid.

Unfortunately, the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix at Montjuich was overshadowed by tragedie.

It started during practice when drivers expressed their doubts about the safety of the track and a drivers strike was in the air! The organizers threatened to impound the cars to compensate the financial losses. So the team bosses told their drivers not to strike…

Emerson Fittipaldi was driven his obliged three laps during qualifying and was leaving the circuit. He would not start on Sunday.

After the race was started a few small incidents happen. But on lap 26 the rear wing of the leading car from the German driver Rolf Stommelen broke, the car crashed and flew over the safety barrier. Three marshals and a reporter were killed.

Three laps later the race was stopped and Jochen Mass was declared as the winner, but only half points where given.

Rolf Stommel himsel survived the accident at Monjuich. But in 1983 he lost his life after a crash during a sportscar race on the Riverside International Raceway in the USA. Ironically enough, the fatal crash was caused by a broken rear wing.

The 1975 tragedie was the end of Formula 1 races at the beautifull but also dangerous Monjuich street circuit.

Until 1986, 24 hour races for motorcycles have been held at Montjuich. But then the circuit was found to dangerous for any kind of motorsport. So the Montjuich Circuit definitely closed for racing.

After 1975 the Spanish Grand Prix was setteled at Jarama untill 1981. After 5 years of absence Formula 1 returned to Spain and settled at Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia.

But in 1991 the Spanish Grand Prix returned again to Barcelona to the brand new Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, about 30 kilometres from Barcelona. Since then, Formula 1 settled here for the Spanish Grand Prix.

Thanks for watching this video.
Don't miss our new videos and subscribe to my channel. http://www.youtube.com/user/Circuitso... Thanks for the subscribe :)

Music:

As I Figure - Latinesque van Kevin MacLeod is gelicentieerd onder een Creative Commons Attribution-licentie (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Bron: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artiest: http://incompetech.com/

Cumbia No Frills Faster van Kevin MacLeod is gelicentieerd onder een Creative Commons Attribution-licentie (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Bron: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artiest: http://incompetech.com/

#F1 #Barcelona #RaceTrack