Crystal Palace (circuit)

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Crystal Palace circuit was a motor racing circuit in the Crystal Palace area of London. The circuit was located in Crystal Palace park, The outline of the track can still be seen on maps providing access to the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre that is also located in the park.

[edit] History

The circuit opened in 1927 and the first race, for motorcycles, was on May 21st 1927. The circuit was 1 mile long, and ran on pre-existing paths through the park, including a loop past the lake. The surface had tarmac-covered bends, but the straights only had hard-packed gravel.

Improvements begun in December 1936 increased the circuit to 2 miles, and tarmac-covered the entire length. 20 cars entered the first London Grand Prix on 17 July 1937, a race eventually won by Prince Bira in his ERA R2B Romulus at an average speed of 56.5mph. Later that year, during the International Imperial Trophy meeting also won by Bira, the BBC broadcast the first ever televised motor racing.

With the outbreak of World War II, the park was taken over by the Ministry of Defence, and it would not be until 1953 that race meetings could take place again. The circuit had been reduced in length to 1.39 miles, bypassing the loop past the lake, and pressure from the local residents reduced motor sport in the park to five days a year. A variety of races took place at the circuit including sports cars, Formula 3, the London Trophy for Formula 2, and even non-championship Formula 1 races.

Average speeds continued to rise over the years, with the first 100mph lap average set in 1970 by that year's Formula 1 world champion, Jochen Rindt. Also in 1970, th injunction limiting race days expired and racing was upped to 14 days a year. However, driver safety was coming into focus in the early seventies and it became clear that racing around a park at 100mph was not safe. Expensive improvement were undertaken, but it was not enough to save the circuit. The last International meeting was in May 1972, the final lap record going to Mike Hailwood at an average speed of 103.39 mph. The final meeting was held on September 23rd 1972, but club events continued until 1974.