Roskilde Ring was a motor racing circuit in Roskilde, Denmark. It hosted the Danish Grand Prix between 1960 and 1962, with non-championship Formula One races in the last two years which were won by Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham.

Roskilde Ring

Three competitors at Roskilde on 17 August 1957
LocationRoskilde, Denmark
Time zoneUTC+01:00
Coordinates55°37′56″N 12°04′51″E / 55.63222°N 12.08083°E / 55.63222; 12.08083
Broke ground1954
Opened5 June 1955; 69 years ago (1955-06-05)
Closed14 April 1969; 55 years ago (1969-04-14)
Major eventsDanish Grand Prix
(1960–1965, 1968)
Grand Prix Circuit (1957–1968)
Length1.19 km (0.740[1] miles)
Turns8
Race lap record0:42.00 (Sweden Reine Wisell, Tecno 68, 1968, F3)
Original Circuit (1955–1958)
Length0.670 km (0.416 miles)
Turns4

History

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The circuit was opened in 1955 by Businessman Paul Tholstrup as a short 0.670 km (0.416 mi) track, becoming Denmark's first permanent road circuit.[2] The layout was a banked oval, utilizing the steep sides of the old gravel pit which the circuit was built on. In 1957 the track was extended, using waste land which existed between the circuit and the rail track to the west. This created the still relatively short 1.19 km (0.74 mi) grand prix circuit. Typical for this circuit, described by Stirling Moss as "a most peculiar raceway", were the banked corners and the fact that the circuit did not have a real straight. Because the track was built in an old gravel pit it looks like an amphitheater. There was also an elevation of 14 m (46 ft) and the track was driven anticlockwise.

 
Roskilde Ring as it is today. A pond is where the paddock once stood.

The Roskilde Ring was located close to the center of Roskilde, with new residential developments surrounding the circuit. The last race on the track was Scalextric-Löbet, which was held in 22 September 1968.[2] Due to the high number of complaints about the noise created, it was closed in 14 April 1969.[2] After closing the site was turned into a park. A hotel has been built where the race control tower stood.[3]

Lap records

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The official race lap records at the Roskilde Ring are listed as:

Category Time Driver Vehicle Event
Grand Prix Circuit: 1.19 km (1957–1968)
Formula Three 0:42.000[4] Reine Wisell Tecno 68 1968 Scalextric-Löbet
Formula One 0:42.700[5] Jack Brabham Lotus 24 1962 Danish Grand Prix
Formula Two 0:43.200[6] Graham Hill Lotus 18 1960 Danish Grand Prix
Sports car racing 0:46.200[7] Stirling Moss[a]
David Piper[a]
Cooper Monaco T49[a]
Lotus 15[a]
1959 Roskilde Ring Sports Car race

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d Both drivers took the same lap time independently.

References

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  1. ^ "Roskildering Racing Circuit • Details | Motorsport Database".
  2. ^ a b c "Roskilde Ring: Indviet den 5. juni 1955 - "Død" den 14. april 1969". perbeer.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Roskilde Ring: Tiny Danish delight revisited". forix.autosport.com. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  4. ^ "Scalextric-Löbet 1968". Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  5. ^ "1962 Danish Grand Prix". Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  6. ^ "1960 Danish Grand Prix". Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  7. ^ "Roskilde Ring [S+1.6] 1959". Retrieved 28 December 2022.
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