Heroes of Sitges-Terramar - don’t try this yourself

• 
• 

A Spanish amateur photographer took these two lovely pictures at the circuit of Sitges-Terramar almost a century ago in 1923. He or she wrote on the first one ‘El héroe de la tarde’ or ‘The hero of the evening’ and it is dated 4th November 1923. The other mentions ‘El conde Zborowski a 156 mk por hora’ or ‘Count Zborowski at 156km per hour’ and we can only guess that this one was taken at the circuit’s inaugural race a week earlier 'won by Albert Divo in a Sunbeam defeating Count Louis Zborowski in a Miller, with a winning speed of 96.91mph (155.96km/h)', or so Wikipedia tells us.

A circuit with problems

King Alfonso XIII himself spoke during that first Spanish Grand Prix, in front of 30,000 spectators. But sadly, Sitges-Terramar didn’t become Spain’s national pride in terms of motor racing. The last official race took place just two years later after much discontent from not paying the workers who had built the circuito over 300 days. A ban on international racing also played a role, but above all there was the architecture of the track itself. Architect Jaume Mestres i Fossas had made one fatal mistake. While he built the mighty bowl curves solid and strong - 3½ million kilograms of concrete were used - their progression to the straights was way too abrupt. This meant that racing here became a truly dangerous affair. Drivers could not quite go as fast as they wanted because it was virtually impossible to return to ground level from the banking at top speed. Doubtless, 156km/h must have been a really scary affair back in 1923.

Our own experience

As a matter of fact, we gave it a try ourselves many years ago when we were young and reckless. Getting access to the track had been one thing, climbing the banking at speed was something else! Cautiously, our modest car climbed higher and higher in the western curve, which was a lot less overgrown than the eastern one at the time, up to 120km/h. And it must be said: things got scary there and then. It was like being smashed into the ground after the bend, spat out with car and all.

As early as 1925, racing ceased at the Spanish circuit that was meant to compete with Avis, Brooklands and Monza. Spanish-based but Czech-born racing driver Edgar Morawitz bought the track in 1929 and organised motorbike championships for some time. But this time the Spanish Civil War caused him trouble, stopping any activity after 1936. Morawitz reportedly used the track as a base for Russian Polikarpov fighter planes. How he died in 1945 is not known to us, but his family crest still adorned the door of the old house next to the watchtower when we were there.

(Words Jeroen Booij, pictures Ajuntament de Girona)

Make a comment, ask a question, give your opinion, share additional information or start a discussion by filling in the fields below.