Tuesday, November 17, 2015

F1 City Guide - Adelaide

Many people will fondly recall the Adelaide street circuit as the home of the Australian Grand Prix for 11 years from 1985-1995.  Next to the CBD, the circuit was a mixture of city streets and then into the parklands to finish the lap.

Adelaide was always the final race of the season, so it had it's fair share of title deciders, drama, intrigue and of course the party atmosphere that came with finishing the season.

This blog will explore Adelaide's Grand Prix racing past and also what it offers F1 fans today.

The Past

Grand Prix racing has been held near Adelaide since 1937.  These circuits were amazing ...

  • Unbelievable by today's standards, the 1937 Australian Grand Prix was held on a road course 12km long, in-between the seaside towns of Port Elliot and Victor Harbour.
  • Lobethal Circuit: 1939 Australian Grand Prix.  At almost 14kms long, this wild circuit in the Adelaide Hills passed through the towns of Charleston and Lobethal.  It is the longest racing circuit in Australian history.
  • Nuriootpa Road Circuit: 1950 Australian Grand Prix, this circuit was 7km long!
  • Port Wakefield Circuit: 1955 Australian Grand Prix, won by Jack Brabham.  This circuit has now "faded very quickly back into the scrub".
  • Mallala: 1961 Australian Grand Prix, a former RAAF base, still going today.

Vern Schuppan is the sole F1 driver born in South Australia.

Today

Activities for F1 fans

If you are visiting Adelaide, these are the options for F1 fans:
  • Walk the circuit. Start in Victoria Park at the start/finish line. Turn one: on the left, a plaque of Ayrton Senna's handprints at the Senna chicane, near Wakefield Road.
  • Hutt Street: more handprints on the east side notably Lauda, Berger and Coulthard at 120 Hutt Street
  • Visit The Stag Hotel on Rundle Street. The site of many iconic photos as the cars passed there
  • Adelaide Motorsport Festival - hoping this will return soon.
  • Mallala Motor Sport Park
  • Several go-karting locations

Shopping/Eating
  • Motoring Bookshop, 47 Gouger Street, Adelaide CBD - now closed. The sign is still there.
  • La Trattoria restaurant on King William Street, Adelaide CBD has F1 photo's on the wall. 

Thanks for reading.  Please leave your comments.

Pep, F1 Podcast

Links:

Australian Grand Prix:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Grand_Prix
Tasman Series:  http://tasmanrevival.com/history-of-the-tasman-series/
Australian F1 drivers:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One_drivers_from_Australia

Adelaide Street Circuit:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide_Street_Circuit
Adelaide Motorsport Festival:  http://www.adelaidemotorsportfestival.com.au/
Mallala Motor Sport Park:  http://www.mallala.com/

La Trattoria - La Trattoria | Adelaide | Italian Food

 

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