Mozambique Grand Prix
The Grand Prix of Mozambique was an automobile race, which was held from 1958 to 1971 twelve times in the former Portuguese colony of Mozambique. 1966 and 1967 it was known as the Governor General's Cup. The technical regulations corresponded respectively to the Formula 1 World Championship, the race had no status. In some years, the Grand Prix of Mozambique, however, was involved in the South African Formula 1 Championship. Record winner was the Rhodesian racer John Love, who won five out of twelve races.
History
Organizer of the Grand Prix of Mozambique was the local club Automovil s Touring Club de Moçambique. The call of the race went back to the colonial power Portugal, who wanted to organize a counterpart to the UK-style motor sport events in the neighboring countries of Rhodesia and South Africa in their East African colony. The organizers of the Grand Prix of Mozambique were particularly interested in the participation of South African racing driver, in turn, appreciated the constant climatic conditions in the more northern Mozambique. 1966 and 1967 was one of the race South African Formula 1 Championship; the goal to permanently establish the race as a run of successful regional series, the organizers, however, not reached.
Venue of the Grand Prix was in each case the Mozambican capital Lourenço Marques (now Maputo ). In the first two years the race was held on a street circuit in the city ( Lourenço Marques Street Circuit ), from 1962 to the newly built, right on the Indian Ocean located permanent race track Circuito de Lourenço Marques.
The Grand Prix of Mozambique has not played since 1972. A major reason for this was the Portuguese colonial war, which increased in intensity at this time. 1972 nor the 3- hour race at Lourenço Marques was held that won Jochen Mass; it ended the motor sport activities in Mozambique for the next two decades. After gaining independence in 1975, automobile races were initially banned in Mozambique.