The Circuit des Nations ("Circuit of the Nations") is a long street circuit of between

Lake Geneva , image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg , caption = Satellite image , image_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = , location = Switzerland, France , coords = , lake_type = Glacial la ...

and the

Place des Nations Place may refer to: Geography * Place (United States Census Bureau), defined as any concentration of population ** Census-designated place, a populated area lacking its own Municipality, municipal government * "Place", a type of street or road ...

Geneva , neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier , website = https://www.geneve.ch/ Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevr ...

, Switzerland. It hosted the ''Grand Prix de Nations'', similar to a

Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...

race; the ''Grand Prix de Genève'', similar to a

Formula Two Formula Two (F2 or Formula 2) is a type of open-wheel formula racing category first codified in 1948. It was replaced in 1985 by Formula 3000, but revived by the FIA from 2009– 2012 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship. The name ...

race; and various championship events. The first ''Grand Prix de Genève'' was held in

Meyrin Meyrin () is a municipality of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. The main site of CERN, the European particle physics research organisation, is in Meyrin. Meyrin was originally a small agricultural village until the 1950s, when construction of ...

in 1931 and won by

Marcel Lehoux Marcel Lehoux (3 April 1888 – 19 July 1936) was a French racing driver and businessman. Lehoux was born in Blois in France. His racing career was built on the back of his successful trading company that operated in French Algeria. He placed sec ...

, racing for Bugatti.

Geneva race-track (Switzerland)

The

race-track was established between the lake (Geneva) and the Nations square. Its length was . 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 Emilio Giuseppe Farina, also known as Giuseppe Antonio "Nino" Farina, (; 30 October 1906 – 30 June 1966) was an Italian racing driver and first official Formula One World Champion. He gained the title in 1950. He was the Italian Champion in ...

Raymond Sommer Raymond Sommer (31 August 1906 – 10 September 1950) was a French motor racing driver. He raced both before and after WWII with some success, particularly in endurance racing. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in both and , and altho ...

Maurice Trintignant Maurice Bienvenu Jean Paul Trintignant (30 October 1917 – 13 February 2005) was a motor racing driver and vintner from France. He competed in the Formula One World Championship for fourteen years, between 1950 and 1964, one of the longest care ...

, Juan Manuel Fangio,

Prince Bira Prince Birabongse Bhanudej Bhanubandh ( th, พีรพงศ์ภาณุเดช; ; 15 July 191423 December 1985), better known as Prince Bira of Siam (now Thailand) or by his ''nom de course'' B. Bira, was a member of the Thai royal ...

(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. 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 , or , at an average speed of .

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) , or , at an average speed of .

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) or , at an average speed of .

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 or , at an average speed of .

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 or , at an average speed of .

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,
(en) Circuit des Nations – détails of the accident 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 Le Mans disaster, 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

References

Ultimate Racing History

{{DEFAULTSORT:Circuit Des Nations Motorsport venues in Switzerland Pre-World Championship Grands Prix