Autodrome de Montlhéry
Encyclopedia
Linas, Essonne
Linas is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.The famous motor racing circuit Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry, is located across the communes of Linas, Bruyères-le-Châtel and Ollainville....
Bruyères-le-Châtel
Bruyères-le-Châtel
Bruyères-le-Châtel is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.-History:A nunnery was founded at Bruyères-le-Châtel by a noblewoman named Clotilde...
and Ollainville
Ollainville
Ollainville is the name of two communes in France:* Ollainville, Vosges* Ollainville, Essonne...
, outside Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in the southside.
Industrialist Alexandre Lamblin hired René Jamin to design the 2548.24 metres (1.58 mi) oval shaped track for up to 1000 kg (2,205 lb) vehicles at 220 km/h (136.7 mph). It was initially called Autodrome parisien, and had especially high bankings. A road circuit was added in 1925.
The first race (the 1925 French Grand Prix
French Grand Prix
The French Grand Prix was a race held as part of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One automobile racing championships....
) was held on 26 July 1925 and organised by The Automobile Club de France Grand Prix. It was a race in which Robert Benoist
Robert Benoist
Robert Marcel Charles Benoist was a French Grand Prix motor racing driver and war hero.-Early life:Born near Rambouillet, Île-de-France, France, Robert Benoist was the son of Baron Henri de Rothschild's gamekeeper...
in a Delage
Delage
Delage was a French luxury automobile and racecar company founded in 1905 by Louis Delage in Levallois-Perret near Paris; it was acquired by Delahaye in 1935 and ceased operation in 1953.-History:...
won; Antonio Ascari
Antonio Ascari
Antonio Ascari was an Italian Grand Prix motor racing champion.Antonio Ascari was born near Mantua, in the Lombardy region of Italy, as the son of a corn dealer. He began racing cars at the top levels in Italy in 1919, using a modified 1914 Fiat...
died in an Alfa Romeo P2
Alfa Romeo P2
The Alfa Romeo P2 won the inaugural Automobile World Championship in 1925, taking victory in two of the four championship rounds when Antonio Ascari drove it in the European Grand Prix at Spa and Gastone Brilli-Peri won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza after Ascari died while leading the intervening...
. The Grand Prix revisited the track in 1927 and each year between 1931 and 1937.
In 1939 the track was sold to the government, deprived of maintenance, and again sold to Union technique de l’automobile et du cycle (UTAC) in December 1946.
The "Coupes du Salon", "Grand Prix de l'Age d'Or" and the "1000 km" were arranged irregularly since then, as the track has had several high-speed problems.
Fatal accidents at Autodrome de Montlhéry include Benoît Nicolas Musy
Benoit Musy
Benoît Nicolas Musy was a Swiss Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and race car driver.- Biography :Musy was born in Fribourg, Switzerland, the son of president Jean-Marie Musy...
(1956), and the one in which Peter Lindner, Franco Patria and three flag marshalls died in 1964.
The last certification for racing was gained in 2001.
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Other events
In 1933 the circuit hosted the UCI Road World ChampionshipsUCI Road World Championships
The UCI Road World Championships are the annual world championships for bicycle road racing organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale...
for cycling.
In 2010 the Speed Ring played host to Ken Block's
Ken Block
Ken Block is a songwriter, guitarist and lead singer of the rock band Sister Hazel. Ken plays acoustic guitar. He also helped produce the band's first CD in 1994. His debut solo effort Drift was released on December 9, 2008....
Gymkhana Three
Gymkhana (motorsport)
Gymkhana is a type of motorsport practiced in an increasing number of countries. Similar to autocross, gymkhana courses are often very complex and memorizing the course is a significant part of achieving a fast time....
video, an advertisement for his company, DC Shoes
DC Shoes
DC Shoes is an American company that specializes in footwear for extreme sports, skateboarding, snowboarding as well as snowboards, shirts, jeans, hats, and jackets.The company was founded in 1993 by Ken Block and Damon Way, and is based in Vista, California...
.
Further reading
- William Boddy, Montlhéry, the story of the Paris autodrome ISBN 1-84584-052-6