Oldies MotoGP: The history of Mugello...

To understand the history of the current layout of the Mugello circuit, in other words, the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, which now hosts the Italian Grand Prix MotoGP, as is often the case, we have to go back to the past...

Like almost everywhere in the Western world, the advent of the automobile at the beginning of the 20th century quickly gave rise to competitions on open roads. This was also the case in Italy and, in 1914, the Mugello Grand Prix was created, using a 66 kilometer track. Despite the progressive competition from the Targa Florio, the Tuscan race quickly found its place and developed to culminate in an event where it was necessary to cover the route 8 times.

The latter started from Scarperia then went up to Firenzuola, crossed the Futa pass and went down to San Piero and Scarperia. Those who have already been there know how many bends the surrounding small mountain roads have…

Obviously, at the beginning, everything was going well and popular fervor was there as we watched the cars take turns on the edge of the void (Enzo Ferrari won in 1921 in an Alfa Romeo, a detail that would take on its importance for decades later). But, over the years, the cars became more and more powerful, gradually reducing safety to zero, especially since while the roads were closed for races and qualifying, they remained open to the public during testing. !

At the end of the 60s and beginning of the 70s, the Alfa Roméo 33, Abarth 3000, Porsche 908, Lola T70 and other Ford GT40s could therefore occasionally come across Fiat 500s, carts or some of the 200 spectators who were rarely aware of the danger …

What was supposed to happen did happen, in 1970, when a seven-month-old baby was killed by local driver Spartaco Dini who crashed his Alfa Romeo GTA into a group of people in the village of Firenzuola during a private test. Four other people, including two young children, were seriously injured. After this incidents, Spartaco Dini passes two people month en prison et, a time sa peine purged, il left Italy for ne y come back during of years. The 1970 race, which had become very popular since the end of the Mille Miglia in 1957 and the decline of the Targa Florio, turned out to be the last, well it there has eu one alone death on le personalised tour original du Mugello among the pilots (Günther Class en 1967).

The authorities had already started looking for a site for a permanent closed course and the tragedy only accelerated these plans.

The terrain at Barberino di Mugello was identified as the most suitable, nestled as if in a valley to create natural sequences and changes in altitude capable of recalling the surrounding roads. Several developments were considered before approval of the final version, including this 1971 project very close to the final route.

We owe it to the engineer Gianfranco Agnoletto. In the first phase of the works, two routes are planned: One of 2 meters, and the other of 600. In a second phase, taking into account the availability of land, a new section could be built (in fact, no), bringing the total length to approximately 5 meters. The 250 meter runway has a "straight line" of about one kilometer and the runway will have a variable width between a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 000 meters. Two grassy strips of at least 5 meters each will be located on the side of the carriageway, while a 250 meter service road will flank the entire track outside it.

The expected average speed of the 5 meter track will be around 300/170 km/h.

Construction began in 1973 and was officially completed on June 23, 1974 for the particularly competitive F5000, Formula Italy and Formula Ford Mexico races (some were shortened), while the first motorcycle race was scheduled for September 1 with the Gran Premio. City of Cessation.

From the outset, the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello is popular with drivers, with its long straight and its hilly sequences.

However, its future seemed to deteriorate after a few years, plagued by financial difficulties and jeopardized by persistent rumors that the valley would be flooded to create a reservoir to supply the nearby city of Florence.

Fortunately, the circuit was bought by Ferrari in 1988 in order to be able to test their F1 cars in complete peace. From then on, the facilities continued to develop to reach the current structure, as beautiful as it is efficient, particularly in 1991 with the construction of new boxes which allowed the definitive return of the motorcycle Grand Prix after the edition of the Grand Prix des Nations in 1976 where Angel Nieto wins the 50cc race…