Roskilde Ring

The Roskilde Ring was the first permanent motor racing track in Denmark. Among others, two Formula 1 races were held, which opened in 1955 and already in 1969 closed path in the years 1961 and 1962, but which does not belonged to the official Formula 1 World Championship.

History

Once the desire for a Danish circuit was discussed in motorsport circles since the 1940s, was bought by the Danish entrepreneur Poul Tholstrup after discussions with the automotive Sports Club Copenhagen ( ASK) in the summer of 1953 in Roskilde a disused gravel pit to make room for a track to create. The financial resources for the conversion of the pit were generated by the ASK a fund formed, were sold out of the shares of the trail: The shareholders received in payment of the contribution of 50 crowns and a free entry to the ring and the events.

Construction began in winter 1954/1955 with support from the Danish military, which prepared the grounds of the gravel pit with bulldozers and earthmovers accordingly.

The inaugural race was held in front of about 30,000 spectators on 5 June 1955.

A disadvantage proved that the race track was unusually short with a length of 670 meters: first only the cauldron-shaped gorge of the former gravel pit was used for the route. In order to gain space for larger events, the ring in 1957, was expanded by adding an additional loop to a length of 1,400 meters.

In addition to various national and international events guested in the period following the Formula 1 at the Roskilde Ring. Although the runs in the years 1961 and 1962 were not part of the official Formula 1 world championship of the season, took nevertheless drivers like Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Graham Hill, Jim Clark and John Surtees part in the events. Moss, winner of the race in 1961, the ring designated as a " A most peculiar raceway" ( " A most peculiar race track ").

As was the route near the center of Roskilde in built-up areas, prepared infrastructure and noise from the race and more problems. Since the housing development had approached moved over time up to the race track, the competent authorities denied after a final race on September 22, 1968, the approval of other events. The ring was therefore finally closed in 1969; the route and the associated buildings were removed in the course of the 1970s.

In the following period the site was converted into a public park, which is now used by a hotel, and a Frisbee Disc Golf Club. In the deepest part of the former racetrack at the former Pirelli curve is now home to a pond.

Route

The track was located in the basin of a former gravel pit, which is why all curves an elevation of at least 5 degrees of tilt had on the outer side. The greatest tendency pointed to the rapid Pirelli corner before the start and goal, which was carried out with an angle of up to 11 degrees as a steep curve.

By embedding in the topography of the pit, the first as a 670 -meter-long, pear-shaped oval track scale had no real line. After adding an additional loop north- west of the original route, the length grew in 1957 to 1,400 meters. During a round of the vehicles overcame despite the short distance a height difference of 14 meters. The track width varied from 13 meters on the western loop up to a width of 23 meters at the start and finish.

The last lap record of only 42.0 seconds was established by Pure Wisell on a Tecno - Ford Formula 3 in 1968. The most successful driver was the Dane Julius Voigt Nielsen with a total of 27 victories in different classes.

Characterized by the appearance of the track was that sponsors lettering with white paint were applied directly to the road: In addition to the two-fold Pirelli signature on the same curve, among other things, the name of the Danish newspaper Politiken, Ford, Luxol and Philips companies found directly on the route indicated.