BrnoThe Automotodrom Brno is a FIA-sanctioned motorsports circuit in Brno, Moravia, Czech Republic. Racing in Brno dates back to the 1930s with the annual MotoGP being the highlight since 1950.
The city of Brno has been a hub of motorcycle and car racing ever since the 1930s, when an 18-mile course was laid out on public roads to the west of capital of the Czech region of Moravia. Swooping through valleys and onwards between the houses and shops of multiple villages, it must have been a white knuckle ride in its early days. By comparison, today's autodrome is a pale imitation of what went before but is nevertheless well regarded when seen against other modern circuits.
The first race was won by the German driver Hermann zu Leiningen in his Bugatti, with Louis Chiron taking the next three victories, including the 1933 event in an Alfa Romeo entered by Enzo Ferrari. From 1934 onwards, victory was fought out by the German Silver Arrows cars of Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union. Hans Stuck and Bernd Rosemeyer won for Auto Union in 1934 and 1935 and, after a year's sabbatical, Rudolf Carracciola took the spoils for Mercedes in 1937.
From 1950, the Grand Prix switched from four wheels to two and the local motorcycle riders fought it out for victory alongside a number of foreign riders, most notably Dickie Dale and Garry Hocking, who were 500cc winners in 1958 and 1960. A further shortening of the course in 1964 saw the lap reduced to 8.6 miles and created an impressive new section of sweeping country roads bounded by ditches, which became something of a signature feature of the course.
In 1975, the final version of the street and road course was introduced, with the building of a new highway requiring a revised section of road to end the lap. This course measured 6.7 miles but was no less testing for its reduced length. The World Championships continued to visit until 1982 (though not for the 500cc machinery after 1977) before being dropped in favour of a European Championship round.
It was perhaps inevitable that this throwback to a forgotten era of racing would some day come to an end and, with the writing firmly on the wall, event organisers looked to a more permanent solution. In 1985, construction began on a new purpose-built circuit on a site within the bounds of the 1930s circuit, though using none of its roads. Thousands of trees were felled and replanted elsewhere and there was considerable landscaping required, but gradually the new circuit emerged.
The new Brno Circuit opened in 1987 and immediately fulfilled its ambitions by regaining a round of the World Motorcycle Championships - an event that continues to this day as the Grand Prix of the Czech Republic. The circuit has remained largely unchanged, save for a revised pit entry which debuted in 1996. Alongside the MotoGP races, the circuit now also hosts a round of the World Superbikes and a variety of car events over the years, including the WTCC and FIA GT series.
And for those racegoers heading from Brno city out to the circuit, a remnant of the old circuit s still visible. Alongside the main road stand the old pit buildings, bricked up and somewhat forlorn looking with their fading paintwork, acting as a somewhat sad reminder to a now bygone era of road racing.
Since 2015, the circuit has been a regular face to the 24H SERIES, hosting 12- and 24-hour races respectively.
