The Circuit of czen

Circuit-Automotodrom Brno

Opened-

Location-Brno

Modified-1996

Pole position-Left

Width-15m

Length-5403m

Longest straight-636m

Left turns-6

Right turn-8

Biult in-1980's

The automobile sport first enters Brno in 1904 when the city was a checkpoint in the Vienna - Wroclaw race. This was only 10 years after the first official automobile race between Paris and Rouen. In the 20‘s the interest of people focused on hillclimb race Brno – Sobesice. International trends however aimed at circuits. Sunday 28th September 1930 was the day when the Masaryk Circuit then 29,1 km long expe­rienced the thrilling atmosphere of car races. Before the first race the roads in Brno suburbs were reconstructed in ama­zingly short time. The winner in the first races was the German von Morgan on Bugatti. The same car brought victory twice to the legendary French Chiron who comple­ted his Brno victories at the wheel of Alfa Romeo in 1933. The remaining pre-war period was dominated by the German riders von Stuck, Rosenmeyer and Caracciola with newly designed Auto Union and Mercedes Benz cars, which put an end to Nuvolari’s heroic attempts. The last victory on the Masaryk Circuit before the war belonged to Caracciola (Mercedes Benz) in 1937. After the war the comeback of motor-sport occurred in 1949. The track was shortened to 17,8 km. Automobile Grand Prix of Czechoslovakia hosted almost all top riders including the Italian Farina who became the first Formula 1 champion in history. Apart from the shortened track there was another change compared to the pre-war period: the riders started off on the circuit in the opposite direction. The crowd of 400.000 saw a thrilling race with serious accidents of highly admired Maseratti cars of Farina, Parnell and of the Siamese Prince Bira at the beginning of the race. Though Chiron, the audience favourite, set the fastest lap the victory was not his. His Maseratti did not stand the hot conditions and Chiron had to retire from the lead. The victory took the British Whitehead with Ferrari. A curve on the old Masaryk Circuit spontaneously called by the spectators Farina corner reminds the Grand Prix of Czechoslovakia of 1949. The political deve­lopment in the country did not enable car championships be held in Brno. A new tradition started in 1950: motorcycle racing. In 1956-1964, after the modest begin­nings , Brno attracted star riders in spite of the fact that Brno was not among the places of the World Championship. It hosted riders like Cambell, Baltisberger, Kassner, Klinger, Hocking, Dale, Kavangh, the Hinton brothers, Redman, Brown, Degner, Fügner, Phillis, Hampleman, Vills, Schneider and Thalhammer who along with the Czechs Stastny, Havel, Bartos, Parus, Kostir, Malina, Luksik, Slavicek, Cada and Srna provided Brno fans with unforgottable experience.Renowned experience along with newly reconstructed track shortened to 13,9 km was taken into consideration when FIM was deciding about putting Brno as the place of Motorcycle World Championship in 1965. The circuit held its position for the next 17 years in which period there were exciting battles between Hailwood, Agostini, Read, Ivy, Saarinen, Stasa and Cecotto. In spite of all the attempts of the organisers and further shortening of the track to 10,9 km the circuit could not meet the constantly increasing demands of safety regulations. The old Masaryk Circuit hosted the European Championship in the following four seasons and in 1986 it caesed to exist. Automobile riders did not stay back an performed tight battles with Formula Junior in 1962, later with Formula 3 and other cars. Names of many future F1 champions such as Rindt and Lauda ranked among the competitors. In 1968-1986 the Masaryk Circuit hosted Touring Cars European Championship. These endurance races brought a number of excellent pilots who were known to the local public only from magazines: Quester, Visel, Hezemans, Giunti, Mass, Glemser, Bell, Schenken, Fitzpatrick, Hulm, Thackwell, Cecotto, Chanceval, Bellmondo, Surer, Winkelhock, Berger, Ravaglia, Pirr, Danners and Czech riders Horsák, Bobek, Zid, Michl, Vojtech, Enge, Bychl, Charouz, Senkyr…