Circuit des Nations

The Circuit des Nations ("Circuit of the Nations") is a long street circuit of 4110 meters between Lake Geneva and the Place des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. It hosted the Grand Prix de Nations, similar to a Formula One race; the Grand Prix de Genève, similar to a Formula Two race; and various championship events. The first Grand Prix de Genève was held in Meyrin in 1931 and won by Marcel Lehoux, racing for Bugatti.

Geneva race-track (Switzerland)

The Geneva race-track[1] was established between the lake (Geneva) and the Nations square. Its length was 4,110 m (2.55 mi). Grand-Prix races were organised after World War II, on this track, similar to Formula 1 or Formula 2 races, as well as non championship ones. In total 5 major events happened on this track between 1946 and 1950. Key pilots came here to compete: among them Giuseppe Farina, Raymond Sommer, Maurice Trintignant, Juan Manuel Fangio, Prince Bira (who had established residency, in Geneva).

The closest race-tracks were Aix les Bains – France (Circuit du Lac) and Lausanne (Circuit du Léman or Blécherette). All were temporary urban race-tracks that disappeared shortly after the Le Mans accident in 1955, or before.

DateRaceRace trackCategoryLap length
July 21, 19461st Grand Prix des NationsCircuit des NationsGrand Prix FIA2.900 km (1.802 mi)Switzerland
May 2, 19482nd Grand Prix de GenèveCircuit des NationsFormula 2 FIA, non-championship2.900 km (1.802 mi)
May 2, 19482nd Grand Prix des NationsCircuit des NationsFormula 1 FIA, non-championship2.900 km (1.802 mi)
July 30, 19503rd Grand Prix de GenèveCircuit des NationsFormula 2 FIA, non-championship3.990 km (2.479 mi)
July 30, 19503rd Grand Prix des NationsCircuit des NationsFormula 1 FIA, non-championship3.990 km (2.479 mi)

Note: contradictory information about the length of the track have been witnessed. Measurement on maps indicate that the shorter length is more likely.

1st Grand Prix des Nations

FIA Grand Prix, Circuit des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland – July 21, 1946

44 laps of the urban race track (short version) of 2,965 m (1.842 mi), or 130 km (81 mi), at an average speed of 103.9 km/h (64.6 mph).

PositionPilotCar
1Italy Giuseppe FarinaAlfa Romeo 158
2Italy Carlo Felice TrossiAlfa Romeo 158
3France Jean-Pierre WimilleAlfa Romeo 158
4Italy Tazio NuvolariMaserati 4CL
5Switzerland Emmanuel de GraffenriedMaserati 4CL
6Thailand Prince BiraERA B
7Italy Achille VarziAlfa Romeo 158
8France Raymond SommerMaserati 4CL
DNFUnited Kingdom George AbecassisAlta
DNFUnited Kingdom Reg ParnellMaserati 4CL
DNFItaly Luigi VilloresiMaserati 4CL

2nd Grand Prix de Genève

FIA Formula 2, non championship race, Circuit des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland – May 2, 1948

70 laps of the urban race-track (short version) 2,945 m (1.830 mi), or 206 km (128 mi), at an average speed of 98.15 km/h (60.99 mph).[2]

Talbot Lago T26
PositionPilotTeamCar
1France Raymond SommerEquipe GordiniSimca-Gordini T11
2Thailand Prince BiraEquipe GordiniSimca-Gordini T11
3France Robert ManzonEquipe GordiniSimca-Gordini T11
4United States Harry SchellEcurie BleueCisitalia D46-Fiat
5France "Robert"Ecurie PanoCisitalia D46-Fiat
6Switzerland Claude BernheimEcurie AutosportCisitalia D46-Fiat
DNFFrance Raymond de SaugéRaymond de Saugé DestrezCisitalia D46-Fiat
DNFItaly Carlo PesciCarlo PesciCisitalia D46-Fiat
DNFFrance Roger LoyerEcurie de ParisCisitalia D46-Fiat
DNFFrance Maurice TrintignantEquipe GordiniSimca-Gordini T11
DNFAustria Hans StuckHans StuckCisitalia D46-Fiat
DNFSwitzerland Rudolf FischerEcurie Espadon[3]Simca-Gordini T11
DQItaly Walter TriverioEcurie PanoCisitalia D46-Fiat

2nd Grand Prix des Nations

FIA Formula 1, non championship race, Circuit des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland – May 2, 1948

80 laps of the urban race-track (short version) 2,945 m (1.830 mi) or 236 km (147 mi), at an average speed of 98.18 km/h (61.01 mph).

Delahaye 135S
PositionPilotCar
1Italy Giuseppe FarinaMaserati 4CLT
2Switzerland Emmanuel de GraffenriedMaserati 4CL
3France Raymond SommerFerrari 166SC
4France Eugène ChaboudDelahaye 135S
5France Henri LouveauDelage D6.70
6Argentina Clemar BucciMaserati 4CL
DNFFrance Jean-Pierre WimilleSimca-Gordini T15
DNFFrance Charles PozziTalbot-Lago T150C
DNFFrance Louis RosierTalbot-Lago 150SS
DNFFrance Yves Giraud-CabantousTalbot-Lago 150C
DNFItaly Nello PaganiMaserati 4CL
DNFItaly Luigi VilloresiMaserati 4CL
DNFItaly Luigi FagioliMaserati 4CL
DNFFrance Maurice TrintignantSimca-Gordini T15
DNFThailand Prince BiraMaserati 4CL
DNFSwitzerland Richard RamseyerMaserati 4CL
DNFMonaco Louis ChironTalbot-Lago T26 SS

3rd Grand Prix de Genève

FIA Formula 2, non championship race, Circuit des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland – July 30, 1950

45 laps of the urban race-track 6,325 m (3.930 mi) or 253 km (157 mi), at an average speed of 120.93 km/h (75.14 mph).

Veritas Meteor
PositionPilotTeamCar
1France Maurice TrintignantEquipe GordiniSimca-Gordini T15
2France André SimonEquipe GordiniSimca-Gordini T15
3Italy Dorino SerafiniScuderia FerrariFerrari 166F2
4Argentina Roberto MieresAutomovil Club ArgentinaMaserati 4CLT/48
5Switzerland André CanonicaAndré CanonicaSimca-Gordini T11
6United Kingdom Lance MacklinHW Motors Ltd.HWM/Alta
7Switzerland Alfred DattnerAlfred DattnerSimca-Gordini T11
8Italy Luigi VilloresiScuderia FerrariFerrari 166F2
9Switzerland Toni BrancaMme. WalckiersSimca-Gordini T15
10France "Robert"Ecurie ParisCisitalia D46/Fiat
DNFItaly Mario TadiniScuderia FerrariFerrari 166F2
DNFFrance Aldo GordiniEquipe GordiniSimca-Gordini T15
DNFFrance Roger LoyerEcurie ParisSimca-Gordini T16
DNFSwitzerland Paul GlauserEcurie SuisseVeritas Meteor
DNFUnited States Alexander OrleyAlexander OrleyVeritas Meteor
DNFUnited Kingdom George AbecassisHW Motors Ltd.HWM/Alta
DNFArgentina Ernesto TornqvistEquipe GordiniSimca-Gordini T11
DNFUnited States Harry SchellHorschell Racing CorporationCooper T12/JAP

3rd Grand Prix des Nations

FIA Formula 1, non championship race, Circuit des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland – July 30, 1950

68 laps of the urban race-track 6,325 m (3.930 mi) or 430 km (270 mi), at an average speed of 127.60 km/h (79.29 mph).

Alfa Romeo 159
PositionPilotCar
1Argentina Juan Manuel FangioAlfa Romeo 158
2Switzerland Emmanuel de GraffenriedAlfa Romeo 158
3Italy Piero TaruffiAlfa Romeo 158
4Italy Alberto AscariFerrari 125
5France Yves Giraud-CabantousTalbot-Lago T26C
6Italy Giuseppe FarinaAlfa Romeo 158
7France Robert ManzonSimca-Gordini T15
8Monaco Louis ChironMaserati 4CLT-48
9Italy Luigi VilloresiFerrari 125
10Belgium Johnny ClaesTalbot-Lago T26C
11Italy Felice BonettoMaserati Milano 4CLT-50
12Italy Franco RolMaserati 4CLT-48
13Switzerland Toni BrancaMaserati 4CL
DNFFrance Raymond SommerTalbot-Lago T26C
DNFUnited Kingdom Reg ParnellMaserati 4CLT-48
DNFThailand Prince BiraMaserati 4CLT-48
DNFUnited Kingdom David MurrayMaserati 4CLT-48
DNFItaly Gianfranco ComottiMaserati Milano 4CLT-50
DNFUnited States Harry SchellMaserati 4CLT-48
DNFArgentina José Froilán GonzálezMaserati 4CLT-48

A tragic end

Towards the end of the third Grand Prix des Nations (1950), the engine of Alberto Ascari's Ferrari 340 blew up, pouring oil onto the corner at the end of the Avenue de la Paix. Behind him Luigi Villoresi, in a Ferrari 275, could not avoid the oil, his car skidded, went over the security barrier and ploughed into the crowd. Three spectators were killed,[4] another twenty were injured. Villoresi survived with a severely fractured leg.

After this tragedy, stemming like others from the use of street circuits ill-adapted to increasingly high-speed motor racing, the organisers cancelled the following year's event. Geneva would never again host a Grand Prix race.

In 1958 motor racing was banned altogether by the Swiss government as an unsafe spectator sport following the death of 80 people at the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

References

  1. ↑ Map
  2. ↑ "Formula 2 1948 - Geneve". Formula2.net. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  3. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-04-10. Retrieved 2016-03-04. (en) présentation
  4. ↑ (en) Circuit des Nations – détails of the accident

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