Mantorp Park Circuit No 2
Circuit info:
- Address:
Mantorp Park Motorbana
590 17 Mantorp
Sweden- PH:
- (46) 142 29 88 50
- Fax:
- (46) 142 29 88 69
- Circuit length:
- 1.942 miles/3.125 km
- Circuit type:
- Permanent road course
Circuit history:
Outside of Anderstorp, Mantorp Park stands as Sweden's most developed motorsport facility. Opened in 1969 when Swedish stars like Ronnie Peterson and Gunnar Nilsson were in their ascendancy, it had all the ingredients of success. Located on the E4 motorway between Linköping and Jonköping in Ostergotland, large crowds were always likely to be drawn in.
Four different layouts, including a drag strip, added to the variety and until the early 1980s the longest combination of 2.543 miles was the mainstay. International racing came in 1971, with a popular home victory for Ronnie Peterson in the European F2 race. Formula 2 continued until 1974, when the championship transferred the Swedish leg to Karlskoga.
Under-used in the years that followed, Mantorp Park was renovated ready for the return of Formula 2 in 1981, this time on the shorter Number 2 circuit. Again, events got off to a good start with a win for home hero Stefan Johansson. There was no such luck the following year when Johnny Cecotto triumphed for the works March squad. Disaster struck Swedes Johansson and Eje Elgh early on, while Johnathan Palmer's Ralt flipped, trapping the unconscious Englishman for an age when the roll hoop broke. Formula 2 was never to return.
Club racing proved to be the mainstay in the intervening years, before the emergence of the Swedish Touring Car Championship saw the circuit undergo a mini-revival. Today it also hosts a round of the Swedish Formula 3 Championship.
