Montjuïc circuit

Montjuïc circuit

Location	Montjuïc, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Time zone	GMT +1
Major events	Formula One Spanish Grand Prix Penya Rhin Grand Prix Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix
Length	3.79 km (2.35 mi)
Turns	12
Lap record	1:23.8 (Ronnie Peterson, Lotus-Ford, 1973)

The Montjuïc circuit is a former street circuit located on the Montjuïc mountain in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is considered among the best Formula One circuits of all time, with Autosport rating it among its ten best for their 50th anniversary of Formula One issue. The circuit was also the venue for the Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix from 1950 to 1968, and then hosted the event on even-numbered years until 1976. The last Formula One Grand Prix held there in 1975, is notable for both a fatal crash that led to Formula One abandoning the venue and the only occasion to date that a female driver has scored World Championship points.

History

By 1908 international motorsport was conducted at the Circuit Baix Penedès with the Copa Catalunya. In 1923 the first Great automobile Prize of Spain in the permanent Sitges Terramar circuit was run near Barcelona. In 1932 a race was held on a street circuit with the start in the Montjuïc Park, wooded parkland on a hill above the city's harbour. The course of the 1933 east circuit of that race became the Montjuïc Circuit proper, holding the Penya Rhin Grand Prix.

In 1968, Montjuïc was selected as the venue for the Spanish Grand Prix, which had been held at the Jarama circuit in Madrid, with the inaugural Grand Prix being held there on May 4, 1969. The variable character of the anticlockwise course (with one half slow and the other very fast) made setting the cars up correctly a challenge.

The 1975 Spanish Grand Prix was marked by tragedy. Many drivers felt that the circuit was unsafe, and two time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi withdrew in protest before the start of the race. On lap 26 the Embassy Hill-Lola car of Rolf Stommelen left the track, killing five people. The race was subsequently stopped at half distance and half points awarded, with Jochen Mass being recorded as the winner. Lella Lombardi became the first female driver to score world championship points, taking 0.5 points for 6th place. Formula One never returned to the circuit after the accident.

The circuit of Montjuic was also the scene of the 24 hours of Montjuic, a motorcycle endurance race.

The area where the circuit was located is now part of Anella Olímpica, where many Venues of the 1992 Summer Olympics are now located.

In 2004, the city council of Barcelona decided to mark the layout of the old circuit.

On October 13–14, 2007 the circuit was used for the Martini Legends, to honour the 75th anniversary of the circuit. Signalling the return of Formula One cars to Montjuïc, Emerson Fittipaldi (re-)appeared in his Lotus 72, and Marc Gené drove a contemporary Ferrari.

External links

• Montjuïc Park History
• (news in ESPN Sports)
• The circuit in OpenStreetMaps
• The streets of the former circuit in Google Maps