10 replies to this topic

[Graveltrappen]

Caterham/Lotus/Arrows factory

https://youtu.be/PLMCyf6W2bw

Amazing how quickly nature starts to reclaim... what a dump. No wonder it never sold, looks like it wasn’t really suited to an F1 team, but now it would be horrific to try and convert that into something of use.

[Graveltrappen]

And some shots of the Valencia Street Circuit.. or what’s left of it!

https://www.carthrot...street-circuit/

[Ashley Lenton]

If this is Leafield then it was not built as an F1 facility. I spent many happy hours there in the eighties as a BT Management Trainer prior to the  company selling it to TWR/Arrows. I'm sure it could be used for this purpose  again. As I recall, it was a bit remote -so this may be the problem.

[PayasYouRace]

And some shots of the Valencia Street Circuit.. or what’s left of it!
https://www.carthrot...street-circuit/

“Epic” street track? I seem to remember it was considered average at best.

It is incredible how quickly old sites become run down. If I had the time and money I’d do a European road trip, visiting many old locations from F1’s and motor racing’s past. I’d especially like to see Reims with its well cared for pits and grandstand.

[Ray Bell]

Having done a little of that last year I can vouch for the pleasure you'd find...

I went to Spa, looking at where they used to race there, Pescara, Reims, and Rouen. I also went to the Brno 19km course used from the forties to the sixties, Solitude (both wonderful), Bari's forties and fifties round-the-streets track, Pau, the 1912 French GP circuit at Amiens (30kms), some of the Targa Florio course and a little bit of the Mille Miglia course.

A couple of recommendations if you set out to do this.

First, get good maps sorted beforehand, not just circuit maps but also area maps and probably print out Google Earth renderings.

Second, carefully review these for minor changes in road alignment.

Third, look for local museums or memorials of the circuits.

Fourth, if you intend looking at the Targa Florio course make a whole day available for the task. Some places are cut off now and there will be back-tracking to do.

It was over a hundred years after the last race there when I investigated the Savannah road courses, used for the US Grand Prize. Straights four miles long, a longest circuit of about 21 miles and all the changes which have taken place in the intervening century make it an interesting pursuit.

[AJB]

West Oxfordshire District Council have accused the owners of the property of stripping out landscaping and leaving the building open to the weather and intruders to make it less attractive to potential buyers and to support their claim that this is a brown field site suitable for development as housing! 

[John Ginger]

If this is Leafield then it was not built as an F1 facility. I spent many happy hours there in the eighties as a BT Management Trainer prior to the  company selling it to TWR/Arrows. I'm sure it could be used for this purpose  again. As I recall, it was a bit remote -so this may be the problem.

Indeed, when I lived in the village, as a boy, many years ago, it was a P.O. radio station which was a couple or so miles away

[Nick Savage]

If this is Leafield then it was not built as an F1 facility. I spent many happy hours there in the eighties as a BT Management Trainer prior to the  company selling it to TWR/Arrows. I'm sure it could be used for this purpose  again. As I recall, it was a bit remote -so this may be the problem.

I also spent many a happy hour at BT Leafield running training courses in the 1984/86 period if my memory serves me. Also a village notable for another resident, the late Bill Morris of ERA fame....

[d j fox]

On a recent trip to Barcelona I spent a happy couple of hours wandering around the old Circuito de Montjuic . Armed with some old photos it was easy to compile some great “then and now” pictures…great city too, friendly people…beer was good as well!

[Paul Parker]

“Epic” street track? I seem to remember it was considered average at best.

It is incredible how quickly old sites become run down. If I had the time and money I’d do a European road trip, visiting many old locations from F1’s and motor racing’s past. I’d especially like to see Reims with its well cared for pits and grandstand.

 

The really sad thing about this mess is not just the abandonment of the venue by F1 but the inevitable and predictable destruction wrought by the vandals, thieves and others who apparently are too often left to do as they please. 

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by PayasYouRace
.....I’d especially like to see Reims with its well cared for pits and grandstand.

I meant to put this in my previous post...

Yes, it's fairly well cared for now and there are people dedicating time and money to doing something about it. But it was reaching a fairly run-down state before that happened.

That said, it could almost be said to be 'haunting' I would say, especially in the right light.



Much signwriting has been redone...



...maybe that helps bring out the 'ghosts'?



The concrete has weathered well, but things like roofing haven't been replaced.



Overall, I guess you have to commend the locals who have taken up the challenge, while they also have little brochures about what they are doing and asking for donations.