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.
| Date | Race | Race track | Category | Lap length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 21, 1946 | 1st Grand Prix des Nations | Circuit des Nations | Grand Prix FIA | 2.900 km (1.802 mi)Switzerland |
| May 2, 1948 | 2nd Grand Prix de Genève | Circuit des Nations | Formula 2 FIA, non-championship | 2.900 km (1.802 mi) |
| May 2, 1948 | 2nd Grand Prix des Nations | Circuit des Nations | Formula 1 FIA, non-championship | 2.900 km (1.802 mi) |
| July 30, 1950 | 3rd Grand Prix de Genève | Circuit des Nations | Formula 2 FIA, non-championship | 3.990 km (2.479 mi) |
| July 30, 1950 | 3rd Grand Prix des Nations | Circuit des Nations | Formula 1 FIA, non-championship | 3.990 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).
| Position | Pilot | Car |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Alfa Romeo 158 |
| 2 | | Alfa Romeo 158 |
| 3 |  | Alfa Romeo 158 |
| 4 | | Maserati 4CL |
| 5 |  | Maserati 4CL |
| 6 |  | ERA B |
| 7 | | Alfa Romeo 158 |
| 8 | | Maserati 4CL |
| DNF |  | Alta |
| DNF | | Maserati 4CL |
| DNF | | Maserati 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]
| Position | Pilot | Team | Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Equipe Gordini | Simca-Gordini T11 |
| 2 | | Equipe Gordini | Simca-Gordini T11 |
| 3 | | Equipe Gordini | Simca-Gordini T11 |
| 4 | .svg.png){kind=small} | Ecurie Bleue | Cisitalia D46-Fiat |
| 5 | | Ecurie Pano | Cisitalia D46-Fiat |
| 6 | | Ecurie Autosport | Cisitalia D46-Fiat |
| DNF | | Raymond de Saugé Destrez | Cisitalia D46-Fiat |
| DNF | | Carlo Pesci | Cisitalia D46-Fiat |
| DNF | | Ecurie de Paris | Cisitalia D46-Fiat |
| DNF | | Equipe Gordini | Simca-Gordini T11 |
| DNF |  | Hans Stuck | Cisitalia D46-Fiat |
| DNF | | Ecurie Espadon[3] | Simca-Gordini T11 |
| DQ | | Ecurie Pano | Cisitalia 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).
| Position | Pilot | Car |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Maserati 4CLT |
| 2 | | Maserati 4CL |
| 3 | | Ferrari 166SC |
| 4 | | Delahaye 135S |
| 5 | | Delage D6.70 |
| 6 |  | Maserati 4CL |
| DNF | | Simca-Gordini T15 |
| DNF | | Talbot-Lago T150C |
| DNF | | Talbot-Lago 150SS |
| DNF | | Talbot-Lago 150C |
| DNF | | Maserati 4CL |
| DNF | | Maserati 4CL |
| DNF | | Maserati 4CL |
| DNF | | Simca-Gordini T15 |
| DNF | | Maserati 4CL |
| DNF | | Maserati 4CL |
| DNF |  | Talbot-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).
| Position | Pilot | Team | Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Equipe Gordini | Simca-Gordini T15 |
| 2 | | Equipe Gordini | Simca-Gordini T15 |
| 3 | | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari 166F2 |
| 4 | | Automovil Club Argentina | Maserati 4CLT/48 |
| 5 | | André Canonica | Simca-Gordini T11 |
| 6 | | HW Motors Ltd. | HWM/Alta |
| 7 | | Alfred Dattner | Simca-Gordini T11 |
| 8 | | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari 166F2 |
| 9 | | Mme. Walckiers | Simca-Gordini T15 |
| 10 | | Ecurie Paris | Cisitalia D46/Fiat |
| DNF | | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari 166F2 |
| DNF | | Equipe Gordini | Simca-Gordini T15 |
| DNF | | Ecurie Paris | Simca-Gordini T16 |
| DNF | | Ecurie Suisse | Veritas Meteor |
| DNF | | Alexander Orley | Veritas Meteor |
| DNF | | HW Motors Ltd. | HWM/Alta |
| DNF | | Equipe Gordini | Simca-Gordini T11 |
| DNF | | Horschell Racing Corporation | Cooper 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).
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| Position | Pilot | Car |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Alfa Romeo 158 |
| 2 | | Alfa Romeo 158 |
| 3 | | Alfa Romeo 158 |
| 4 | | Ferrari 125 |
| 5 | | Talbot-Lago T26C |
| 6 | | Alfa Romeo 158 |
| 7 | | Simca-Gordini T15 |
| 8 | | Maserati 4CLT-48 |
| 9 | | Ferrari 125 |
| 10 | .svg.png){kind=small} | Talbot-Lago T26C |
| 11 | | Maserati Milano 4CLT-50 |
| 12 | | Maserati 4CLT-48 |
| 13 | | Maserati 4CL |
| DNF | | Talbot-Lago T26C |
| DNF | | Maserati 4CLT-48 |
| DNF | | Maserati 4CLT-48 |
| DNF | | Maserati 4CLT-48 |
| DNF | | Maserati Milano 4CLT-50 |
| DNF | | Maserati 4CLT-48 |
| DNF | | Maserati 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
- Archived 2008-04-10 at the Wayback Machine Map
- "Formula 2 1948 - Geneve". Formula2.net. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-04-10. Retrieved 2016-03-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (en) présentation
- (en) Circuit des Nations – détails of the accident
