23 replies to this topic

[William Hunt]

To my surprise a local Greek F3 championship used to exist, in a country with absolutely no racing culture.

Apparently it was organised from 1990 until 2000.
Source: https://www.motorspo...eries/greek-f3/

Here you can see the standing from 1998: https://www.driverdb...-3-greece/1998/

 

Now my question is: on which circuits were these races organised?

 

The only circuit I know of in Greece is in Serres (only used for local races, a 3.1km track). From what I understand there also is a 2.1 km club circuit named Megara near Athens but don't really know anything about that one.

Both Serres and that Megara club track were opened in 1998 but that Greek F3 championship has been organised since 1990 so they must have raced at least on other circuits, possibly outside Greece but where?

Edited by William Hunt, 25 March 2023 - 20:49.

[LittleChris]

This may be of help

 

CIRCUITI - TRACKS (gdecarli.it)

 

Look for GRE for a list of Greek tracks 

[E1pix]

Thanks Chris, what an amazing reference!

[LittleChris]

Hello Eric, contrary to what it says, Guido does still seem to be updating the site 👍

[nexfast]

To my surprise a local Greek F3 championship used to exist, in a country with absolutely no racing culture.

Apparently it was organised from 1990 until 2000.
Source: https://www.motorspo...eries/greek-f3/

Here you can see the standing from 1998: https://www.driverdb...-3-greece/1998/

 

Now my question is: on which circuits were these races organised?

 

The only circuit I know of in Greece is in Serres (only used for local races, a 3.1km track). From what I understand there also is a 2.1 km club circuit named Megara near Athens but don't really know anything about that one.

Both Serres and that Megara club track were opened in 1998 but that Greek F3 championship has been organised since 1990 so they must have raced at least on other circuits, possibly outside Greece but where?

 

Still running in 2001 and 2003, according to the late Jimmy Piget files. See here: http://www.gdecarli....e/F3 Greece.pdf (also a larger table of 1998 championship).

 

Somewhere in my files there is a Christos Katsogiannis as a greek Formula 3 champion but I'm too far away from my files to confirm.

[GazChed]

Name a Greek racing driver ? I recognise Andreas Halkiopoulos' name but apart from him the only other Greek driver I could name is Ilias Efessios who raced in British Formula Three in the early eighties in an Argo JM6 just as everyone else was moving to Ralt RT3s. I wonder if he was involved in the organisation of Greek Formula Three ?

[GLaird]

Costas Los was Greek, and if my memory is right, raced in the 1980's.

[potmotr]

I've alway been surprised there are no Greek racing drivers, given there are plenty of very wealthy Greeks!

[Doug Nye]

That's how they stayed wealthy...  

 

DCN

[GazChed]

Costas Los was Greek, and if my memory is right, raced in the 1980's.

Started off in a Fiat X1/9 and ended up racing in Group C IIRC.

[E1pix]

Name a Greek racing driver ?

Harry Theodoracopulos!

Better known as “Harry T,” and a helluva driver in big-bore American “saloon” cars.

And about this “saloon car” business, why name cars after a ride to the bar?

[Bloggsworth]

I've alway been surprised there are no Greek racing drivers, given there are plenty of very wealthy Greeks!

They preferred ships...

[nexfast]

There are much more: Demetris Deverikos, Alex Margaritis, George Aposkitis, Nikos Nikolouzos, Alexandros Anivas  to name but a few. The fact that you don't know them doesn't mean they don't exist. In fairness, they were never particularly successful.

[LucaP]

I remember there used to be a fair number of airfield tracks.

On the subject of greek drivers, Alexandros Margaritis who used to race in DTM, although he was of german upbringing.

Edited by LucaP, 27 March 2023 - 06:49.

[potmotr]

Lots of Greek Australians raced too, I think.

[ChiliFan]

Greece's national motorcycle championships raced almost exclusively at Tripoli airport in the 90s, I expect their F3 championship did the same.

[ReWind]

Listings of racing drivers from Greece here and there.
And then there are myriads of rally drivers & co-drivers.

[Jim Thurman]

Harry Theodoracopulos!

Good one E1pix.

 

There have been some Greek-American racers.

 

One that comes to mind, Emanuel Zervakis, NASCAR race winner who was nicknamed "The Golden Greek"

From drag racing Chris "The Greek" Karamesines. He raced until he was 88 years old (!)

[D-Type]

The 1950s East African champion racing and rally driver, John Manussis, was Greek.

[E1pix]

From drag racing Chris "The Greek" Karamesines. He raced until he was 88 years old (!)

Geez, totally forgot about The Greek. One’d think the nickname’s a real clue when asked about Greek drivers. (LOL)

Amazing guy. Shocked he even retired. :-)

[ktrhe]

I've alway been surprised there are no Greek racing drivers, given there are plenty of very wealthy Greeks!

 

Alexandros Margaritis. DTM driver 2005 - 2007.

Okay, born in Germany but with greek parents and he was driving with a greek license

[Tim Murray]

Here’s a very old thread with a similar theme:

Racing in Greece

In it Ensign14 mentioned Nicky Embiricos, who was reasonably successful in Europe in the 1930s (on the occasions when he managed to keep his car on the track).

[GazChed]

Indeed Tim, and he also had a cousin by the name of Andy Embiricos who raced pre war under the pseudonym of de Maris. Sadly both men died young, Nick in a plane crash in 1941 in America and Andy in a sea battle off Crete in World War Two.

I am not sure, but I think Nick's son was also called Nick and went on to own 1981 Grand National winner Aldaniti who, ridden by Bob Champion won one of the most emotional sporting victories of all time.

[Rob Semmeling]

Returning to the original question of Greek racing circuits, there’s also the Aiginio circuit. It’s defunct but pretty much still there: 40°29'32.36"N 22°35'57.23"E. No clue as to when it operated, although a YouTube video claims it was “open only for one year in the late 1980s.” But another website says it was built in the 1990s.

 

In the less recent past, Greece had street races in places like Corfu and Chania in the 1960s and early 1970s, but it seems these ceased as a result of an accident at a race on Rhodes Island in October 1971. Around that time there was also (endurance) racing at Tatoi airfield, in the northern outskirts of Athens.