Montjuïc

Click here for the 1936 map.

The Montjuïc Park circuit used roads in a public park in the centre of the city of Barcelona. A hairpin and several other slow corners led downhill from the start-finish line to the only straight of reasonable length, which was followed by four fast curves on the climb back to the pits. There were few natural passing places, while the bumps and camber changes stressed machinery - in 1969 one hump stressed Lotus aerofoils to sudden failure, and both team cars crashed heavily.

Some of the bumps were smoothed when the roads were resurfaced for 1973. Barriers that had been welcomed in 1969, when Hill and Rindt crashed, in 1975 were deemed deficient by drivers who refused practise. Team mechanics joined local workers to renovate them while officials prevaricated, and eventually one practice session was held. The race started with a chaotic accident, then on lap 26, the rear aerofoil of the leading car, Stommelen's Hill, failed and one of the humps bounced the car onto and partly over the guard rails. Five people were killed. Three laps later the race was stopped, and that was the end of GP racing.