Eläintarhan ajot

Eläintarhan ajot (Finnish: Suomen Suurajot; Suomen Grand Prix) was a Finnish motor racing competition arranged between years 1932 and 1963 in Eläintarha, Helsinki, Finland. The idea for the race came from a racing driver, S. P. J. Keinänen. Its racing history included the pre-war Finnish Grand Prix.

For the historic motorcycle race, see Finnish motorcycle Grand Prix.
Eläintarha track profile, length 2,034 m (1.26 mi) (1932), 2,000 m (1.24 mi) (from 1933)
A start in the motorcycle class in the 1930s.

First race

The first Grand Prix-race was a success and it attracted around 25,000 spectators. There were ten cars in the first start, six of them Finnish and four Swedish. The very first win went to the Swede Per Viktor Widengren who drove a Mercedes-Benz, second to qualify was S. P. J. Keinänen in a Chrysler and the third place went to Karl Ebb driving a Mercedes-Benz.

Motorcycles

Motorcycle races were also held from the beginning – the first motorcycle win was also taken by a Swede – Gunnar Kalén. The best-placed Finn was Raine Lampinen who finished second in the lower class.

Last race
The accident which ended the races in May 1963

The Eläintarha race was an annual happening in Helsinki for almost 30 years until the final race was held in 1963. The winner of this last race was Timo Mäkinen, although the main start (Formula Junior) was canceled after a fatal accident. At the start a driver (whose identity has not been confirmed) hit Curt Lincoln's Brabham BT6 (Formula Junior), and the car slid to the left side of track. Most drivers managed to avoid a collision but the Swedish Örjan Atterberg hit his countryman Freddy Kottulinsky. Unfortunately Atterberg's car flipped over and the driver was pinned under his vehicle. As a result of the crash Atterberg sustained fatal injuries. The race was stopped by the race officials one minute after crash and the jury told the race was over.

As the setup was considered too dangerous this was the final race to be conducted on the city circuit. The racing events that followed the ill-fated Eläintarha race were held at Keimola Motor Stadium between 1966–1978.

In the 1930s motor racing events were also arranged couple of times in Munkkiniemi, a residential district in northwest Helsinki.

Afterwards

The race has been arranged three times since to honour its memory – the first time was in 1982, then 1992 and the last time was in 2002. In the 1992 event Juan Manuel Fangio was present. Around 2005, a detailed and driveable virtual recreation of the circuit appeared for the Grand Prix Legends historical racing simulation.

Statistics
  • Active years: 1932–39 and 1946–63
  • Circuit length: 2,034 m (1.26 mi) (1932), 2,000 m (1.24 mi) (from 1933)[1]
  • Lap record: David Hitches, Lola Mk 5 Ford, time: 57.1 seconds/126 km/h (78 mph) (1963)
  • Most spectators: 82,597 (1958)
  • Most wins: Curt Lincoln (14)

Results 1932–1963

[1][2][3]

Year Driver Car Class Report
1932 Sweden Per-Viktor Widengren Mercedes-Benz SSK Grand Prix Report
1933 Finland Karl Ebb Mercedes-Benz SSK Grand Prix Report
1934 Norway Eugen Bjørnstad Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza Grand Prix Report
1935 Finland Karl Ebb Mercedes Benz SSK 7.1L Grand Prix Report
1936 Norway Eugen Bjørnstad Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza Grand Prix Report
1937 Switzerland Hans Rüesch Alfa Romeo 8C-35 3.8L Grand Prix Report
1938 Not held
1939 Sweden Adolf Westerblom Alfa Romeo Monza 2.6L Grand Prix Report
1946 Only motorcycles
1947 Finland Asser Wallenius Ford Roadster 1934 Class B –
Finland Helge Hallmann Ford special Formula Libre –
1948 Sweden Magnus Knutsson BMW Class A –
Finland Leo Mattila Ford Roadster Class B –
Finland S. P. J. Keinänen Chrysler special Formula Libre –
1949 Finland S. P. J. Keinänen BMW 328 Class A –
1951 Finland S. P. J. Keinänen Jaguar XK120 Production –
1952 United Kingdom Michael Head Jaguar XK120 Division +2000 –
Sweden Valdemar Stener Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta Division 2000 –
Belgium Roger Laurent Talbot-Lago T26C 1952 Formula One season Report
1953 Denmark Robert Nelleman Allard +2000 GT –
Sweden Valdemar Stener Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta 2000 GT –
United Kingdom Rodney Nuckey Cooper T23 1953 Formula One season Report
Finland Curt Lincoln Cooper-Norton Formula 3 –
1954 United Kingdom Michael Head Jaguar C-type GT +2000 –
Sweden John Bengtsson Ferrari 166 Touring Barchetta GT 2000 –
United Kingdom Rodney Nuckey Cooper-Bristol F2 Formula Libre –
United Kingdom Eric Brandon Cooper-Norton Formula 3 –
1955 United Kingdom Michael Head Jaguar D-type Division +2000 –
Finland Curt Lincoln Jaguar C-type +2000 production –
Sweden Joakim Bonnier Alfa Romeo 1900 Sprint 2000 production –
United Kingdom Eric Brandon Cooper Formula 3 –
1956 Finland Curt Lincoln Jaguar D-type +2000 production –
Finland Harry Saaristo Triumph TR2 2000 production –
Sweden John Kvarnström Ferrari 750 Monza +2000 –
United Kingdom Eric Brandon Halselec-Climax 2000 –
United Kingdom Eric Brandon Cooper Formula 3 –
1957 Sweden Joakim Bonnier Maserati 200S S+2.0 –
Finland Curt Lincoln Ferrari 500 TR S 2.0 –
Sweden Arne Lindberg Mercedes-Benz 300 SL GT+2.0 –
Norway J.A. Iversen Porsche 356 Carrera GT 2.0 –
Finland Curt Lincoln Cooper T 42 Mark XI Formula 3 –
1958 United Kingdom Graham Whitehead Aston Martin DB3S Division +2000 –
United Kingdom Ivor Bueb Lotus 12 Coventry Climax Division 2000 –
Finland Curt Lincoln Ferrari 250 GT TDF GT +2000 –
Finland Curt Lincoln Cooper T 42 Mark XII Formula 3 –
1959 Finland Carl-Otto Bremer Ferrari 750 Monza S+2.0 –
Finland Curt Lincoln Cooper Monaco S 2.0 –
Sweden Carl-Gunnar Hammarlund Porsche 356 Carrera GT –
Finland Curt Lincoln Cooper T 42 Mark XII Formula 3 –
1960 United Kingdom Jimmy Blumer Cooper Monaco S 2.0 –
Finland Heimo Hietaranta Cooper/Norton Formula 3 –
Finland Curt Lincoln Cooper Formula Junior –
1961 United Kingdom David Hitches Lola 2000 –
Finland Heimo Hietaranta Cooper/Norton Formula 3 –
Finland Carl-Otto Bremer Elva 100 Formula Junior –
1962 Sweden Carl-Gunnar Hammarlund Porsche 356 Carrera GT +1300cc –
Finland Curt Lincoln Lotus Elite GT 1300cc –
Finland Curt Lincoln Cooper T 42 Mark XII Formula 3 –
Sweden Olle Nygren Cooper T56 Formula Junior –
1963 Finland Holger Laine Volvo PV544 ST +1600cc –
Finland Timo Mäkinen Morris Mini Cooper ST 1150cc –

References
  1. "ELÄINTARHARATA / DJURGÅRDSBANAN – Helsinki (FIN)". kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman. Retrieved 2007-12-09.
  2. "Pre-war Races". wsrp.ic.cz. Archived from the original on 2008-09-24. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
  3. "Formule Libre races in Europe 1945–57". pgleize.club.fr. Archived from the original on 2008-05-11. Retrieved 2007-12-15.

60.189009°N 24.931991°E / 60.189009; 24.931991

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.