[Online] Got any Links to Old Circuit Pics?

[Aysedasi]

I know there have been other threads on this, and it was reading one and looking around to see what was out there that got me wandering from site to site looking at marvellous photographs of old circuits such as Reims and Rouen. Not just period pics either, the shots that people have taken on visiting what is left of some of these historic venues years after they ceased to hold races.

I must admit I'd love to go to Spa, Monza, Rouen or Reims (or any number of other places) to look at what remains of these great old circuits. Perhaps it's pounding around places like Rouen and Reims (in GPL) which makes me fascinated to see what is left.

A good starting point is the following link (which some of you are sure to have visited before) in which the writer does as near a complete tour of the Rouen circuit as is (or was a few years ago) possible. If you haven't had a look, do so - its fascinating stuff. Just looking, for example at Nouveau Monde as it stands now or what is left of that incredible Gresil corner......

Take a look......

http://www.lugnutsracing.com/rouen.html

And if anyone else has good links to old photos or photos of old circuits, I for one would be glad to see them.

[pirenzo]

I was thinking of walking up to Crystal Palace with my camera to do a little thing of the track now...

You can go here to start with though

www.racingcircuits.net

Go to photo archives

[pirenzo]

Also http://www.adamashmore.co.uk/race200...uit/index.html Adam Ashmore posted this link in the F1 thread)

[Aysedasi]

Well done p - I was going to post Adam's link. Fantastic photos of Reims.

Here is another link to what is left of Rouen -

http://8w.forix.com/6thgear/rouen.html

To be honest, it makes me want to cry. How can a town be so determined to totally erase the existence of a historic racing circuit?

[pirenzo]

yeah. Palace is in a sorry state too. It's really hard to find an account of the park history with anything at all about it's motorsport history, which was pretty much all the history it had from 1937-1972. Nobody there these days realises their favorite paths are in fact a race track. Ther startline is just a mound of earth now.

[pirenzo]

Have you seen the links to Keimola on that racing circuits link i posted?

That place really is a wreck. Control tower burnt out, track encroached on by the forest, bushes growing up through the asphalt, sections of asphalt destroyed to prevent people using it for riding their bicycles round, i mean that sounds like complete determination to erase the track from the face of the world, and make sure everybody forgets it ever existed! That's really sad IMO

[Damon]

Great links. I said it in the F1 forum, but there is certainly something strangely spooky about all those photo's in such a state of disrepair.

[pirenzo]

yeah. It's just odd to think that just behind adam in his pic of Masta at Spa was where Jackie Stewart was trapped underneath his car in 1966...
CP isn't so much in a state of disrepair, more that it's being used for other stuff now. I said sorry state because there's no longer any indication at all that it ever was a race track, it just looks like a bit of attractive park land.
At least at Rouen and Reims the pits are still there. I'm told much of the old Osterreichring still exits, apart from the obviosu bits that are part of the current track, but Hella Licht and Dr. Tiroch Curve are still there apparently.

[Fish_Flake]

But then there's Montjuich Park in Barcelona, where the circuit roads haven't been touched, and probably improved too (considering what's happened there since F1 left). They can probably hold a massively successful race there today. Someone should pass a memo to the Formula Nissan people for a marquis event. It'll be like Pau, only so much better!

[Jordi]

Indeed, Montjuïc (as this is the name in Catalan, without h please) is pretty much the same. So far thought the Superfund World Series are planning a race in downtown Bilbao, but if hopefully they revived Montjuïc...

[pirenzo]

Montjuic would make a great modern day street track. Bring it back!

While we're on street tracks, anyone for a revival of Birmingham?

[Aysedasi]

I thought the pits had also now gone from Rouen?

[pirenzo]

Originally posted by Aysedasi
I thought the pits had also now gone from Rouen?

Have they? Oh, didn't know that

[crozier74]

Originally posted by pirenzo
While we're on street tracks, anyone for a revival of Birmingham?

Your dreams are nearing reality...

http://www.birmingham101.com/superprix/

[pirenzo]

hmm, it's not a dream of mine, i was being sarcy

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by pirenzo
Have they? Oh, didn't know that

Have a look at this site.

http://8w.forix.com/6thgear/rouen.html

This one

http://8w.forix.com/6thgear/rouen-pitlane-exit.jpg

is entitled "All that is left of the pitlane".

So sad.

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by crozier74
Your dreams are nearing reality...

http://www.birmingham101.com/superprix/

I found the old Birmingham track hugely dull - for a street circuit. I remember watching those F3000 races on the box. I certainly don't have any passion at all for reviving them........

[pirenzo]

oh must have been recent. The pits are still there in lugnut's pics

[Aysedasi]

I think Lugnut's date from at least 3-4 years ago.

[pirenzo]

still recent....

[Aysedasi]

Plenty of time to bulldoze some old pit buildings.......

[pirenzo]

yeah. Anyone know if the old Reims pits are still there?

[Aysedasi]

I can't remember when Adam's pics were taken now offhand, but I certainly haven't heard that they've gone under the bulldozers and JCBs - yet.

[Eau Rouge Flat]

Check out Ben Lovejoy's Nurburgring site for loads of info on the Nordschliefe's history, old and new photo's (some great construction photo's), how to get there, driving the old circuit and loads more. I'm thinking of taking a trip there in the Spring. Anybody else been or fancies going?

http://www.nurburgring.org.uk/

[Aysedasi]

Thanks for that, I'd forgotten that one - excellent site