Montjuich Park 1966-75
Circuit info:
- Circuit length:
- 2.356 miles/3.791 km
- Circuit type:
- Temporary street course
Circuit history:
One of the greatest circuits of its time, Montjuich Park swooped through crests and falls around wooded parkland in the hills above Barcelona's harbour, next to the city's Olympic Stadium.
Racing through Parque Montjuïc began in 1932, when it provided the start section for a race through the streets. In 1933 the now familiar course was used for the Penya Rhin Grand Prix, with its startline on Recta de las Fuentes. Varzi, Fagioli and Nuvolari were all winners around this course.
Motorcycle racing was also popular, with the annual 24 hours of Montjuïc testing endurance and the skills of riders. The bikes would continue to use the orginal startline for events right through to 1986, when it was finally deemed too dangerous to continue racing.
The outbreak of war caused an inevitable break for the circuit's racing history, but major car racing was revived in 1966, when the Spanish F1 Grand Prix was switched from Jarama. The start/finish was moved to the opposite side of the circuit, with the paddock located inside the old Olympic Stadium itself.
The circuit quickly became a driver favourite, with a slow twisting section allied to fast curves and flat-out crests providing a challenge to those seeking the ultimate set up.
There were inevitable concerns over safety, however, and these came to a head in the 1975 race, when the majority of drivers refused to practice in protest at incorrectly installed barriers. With the race organisers threatening to take legal action and impounding the cars (by simply locking the gates to the Olympic Stadium) deadlock looked to be taking hold. Compromise was reached when the teams sent the mechanics to tighten all the bolts on the crash barriers and the race weekend eventually got underway.
Still the drivers had their concerns - which sadly proved to be with merit. Double world champion Emerson Fittipaldi withdrew in protest at the first turn of the race but tragedy sstruck on lap 26 when the Embassy Hill of Rolf Stommelen left the track, careering through the inadequate barriers and killing five people. Formula One was never to return and the circuit's fate was effectively sealed.
Despite the tragedy, the circuit is still recalled as one of the most challenging to have graced the Formula One calendar, with Autosport magazine rating it as among the 10 best of all time.
Occassional demonstration runs have taken place in recent year's along parts of the circuit, with large crowds flocking to see Fernando Alonso drive his Renault in celebration of his first World Championship. In 2004 the city council commemorated the park's motor racing heritage by signposting the route of the former circuit.
