8 replies to this topic

[Barry Boor]

What is certain is that there was a Formula 2 race on the Innsbruck airfield in 1960.

 

The records show a circuit length of 1.7 kilometers and lap times of a little under 60 seconds, which would tend to sound about right.

 

Okay.... but now look at this.....

 

The first picture is the circuit plan that is shown for that race:

 

 

This is a recent picture of the airfield with what seems to be the correct line of the circuit marked in red:

 

 

The evidence appears to me to be hard to refute.

 

However, the length of the circuit as marked in red is 1.8 MILES, well over 3 kilometers!

 

So, I'm afraid I am very confused.

 

[RobMk2a]

Barry,

Can't help with the length of track but theTVR Grantura group have a lot of photos of a GT race- Internationales Autorennen in October 1959. Some appear to show the exit from the short loop coming back onto the runway.

Robin Smith entered a 1098cc Climax MK1 Grantura reg RMW 112 no. 54. Position 12th.

Do you have copies of any programmes from the period. Also do you know the FIA status of the Internationales Autorennen.

Thanks

Rob

[Rob Semmeling]

There were two layouts, measuring 1.7 and 2.8 km respectively. From my website:

 

 

Innsbruck (Innsbruck-Kranebitten) – Tirol / Innsbruck Airport / 1958-1969, 1972-1974, 1976-1977 / cars + motorcycles
Location: 47°15'33.90"N / 11°20'49.35"E

 

Of the eight Austrian airfield circuits, only those of Aspern and Innsbruck were available for a longer period of time. At Innsbruck, the racing was done at Kranebitten airfield, just west of the city in the Inn Valley. The meetings here, often titled Preis von Tirol, initially included auto races only - for touring cars, GTs, sports cars and various single seater classes - but motorcycles were also part of the proceedings as of 1962, and seemingly continued to be so through most of the 1970s.

 

The circuit itself was originally a simple 1.7 km blast up-and-down the runway, with hairpins at both ends and a small four-turn extention on one side. The circuit was then lengthened to 2.8 km in 1962, which made it significantly more interesting. Both layouts had a minimum width of fourteen metres, although the second later may have been widened to a minimum of sixteen metres.

 

 

 

[RobMk2a]

The photos I have seen show a hay bale hairpin on the main runway.

Rob Semmeling - do you have more details on the Oct 1959 meeting.

Rob

[Barry Boor]

So it would appear that the circuit I have shown above is the longer, 1962 version and not the one used in 1960.  Rats!

 

So we now have this:

 

 

Which is just over 1.7 k.  That must be it then.

 

Thanks for getting to the bottom of this so quickly, Rob.

Edited by Barry Boor, 29 May 2015 - 10:02.

[Rob Semmeling]

The photos I have seen show a hay bale hairpin on the main runway.

Rob Semmeling - do you have more details on the Oct 1959 meeting.

Rob

 

 

Look here: http://www.technisch.../articleid/2147

[RobMk2a]

Thank you - there is great new photo of the TVR at the tyre depot.

Do you know if these races are viewed as being 'international' or just Austrian Club races.

Rob

[Vitesse2]

Definitely Internationals, as the programme covers and entry lists make clear. If you click on the programme covers, they include complete scans. You can also download the results lists from the Ergebnisliste links.

[RobMk2a]

I wonder if anyone has the programme for Grosser Preis Von Tirol Innsbruck 10th October 1965. I'm trying to find out more info on the GT race where Otto Karger entered his Griffith. The programme doesn't appear to be on the Technical Museum site, although I have sent a message to see if they have a copy.

Thank you

Rob Pennington