Top 10 Urban Myths and Misconceptions in Motorsport

Top 10 Urban Myths and Misconceptions in Motorsport

In this Circuits of the past video we show you the Top 10 of urban myths and misconceptions in motorsport.

Number 10: Variante del Rettifilo 0:00

The name of the first corner at Monza is Variante del Rettifilo, which is Italian for Chicane of the Straight. Outside Italy the name is mostly shortened to Rettifilo. So actually they cal the chicane straight!

Number 9: Is Hugenholtz the designer of old Zandvoort? 0:50

Many sources claim John Hugenholtz to be the designer of the original Zandvoort circuit. But that is absolutely not true!

He was circuit director from Zandvoort from 1949 to 1974. But he was never involved in the design of the track.

He did, however, design other circuits like Jarama, Nivelles, Suzuka and the Motodrom section of Hockenheim. But not Zandvoort.

Number 8: Monza’s old Parabolica 1:35

During the Italian Grand Prix at Monza they several times show the old banking during the weekend. Reporters then often tell the the steep Southern banking is the old Parabolica Corner. But this is nonsense!

The Monza banking is an abandoned oval part of the old layout. It could be used as a full oval or in combination with the road circuit. There is absolutely nothing like an old version of the Parabolica Corner.

Number 7: The Nurembergring 2:22

The name of the famous Nürburgring is often mispronounced as Nurembergring. They probably think of the German city of Nuremberg. But the Nürburgring is named after the Nürburg Castle which is in the Eifel mountains.

Number 6: Jan de Wijker zijn veld 3:08

‘Jan de Wijker zijn veld’, Dutch for ‘Jan de Wijker his field’ was the name of a potato field on the ground where in 1948 the Zandvoort Circuit opened. The corner on this exact site was then named after this potato field.

However, because it’s a long name they wrote it among each other on the circuit maps. So people who didn’t speak Dutch tought it were two seperate names for two corners. So they named the right-hander ‘Zijn veld’ and the next left-hander ‘Jan de Wijker’.

Number 5: Who destroyed old Hockenheim? 4:07

Many people blame Bernie Ecclestone, the FIA and Hermann Tilke for the demolition of the old Hockenheimring. But actually non of them is responsible for that.

The initiative to modernize old Hockenheim came from the circuit bosses themself. They feared tough competition of the brand new Lausitzring in the east of Germany. So they came up with a plan to modernize the old fashioned Hockenheimring and asked architect Hermann Tilke to redesign the track.

Tilke actually want to modernize the excisting track with the long straights. He came up with a plan to widen the track and the run-off areas. But the circuit bosses wanted to abandon the long section through the woods and replace it by a more compact layout.

Number 4: Was Brooklands the first purpose built race track ever? 5:41

The Brooklands circuit in the United Kingdom opened in 1907 and is seen as the first ever purpose built race track in motorsport history. But is that actually true?

In Australia they also claim to have the first permanent race track in the world, the Aspendale Racecourse. It opened in 1891 as a horse race track. But in 1906 they opened an asphalt track for motorracing on yhe infield, one year before Brooklands opened.

Number 3: Does the Nürburgring Nordschleife really have more than 180 corners? 6:46

Many sources will tell you the iconic Nürburgring Nordschleife has more than 180 corners. But this is heavily exaggerated. The real number is only 104 corners, all full throttle kinks included.

Number 2: Was Hockenheim built as a test track for Mercedes? 7:14

There is a persistent story that Hockenheim was built in the 1930’s as a test track for Mercedes. But this is absolutely not true!

Hockenheim started in 1932 as a street ciruit at the initiative of Ernst Christ who came up with the idea to open a circuit in his home town Hockenheim.

He got the support of the mayor and the German Motorsport Association. They extended two public roads so a triangular trial could be created.

Number 1: Eau Rouge of Raidillon? 8:59

By far the most widespread and most persistent misunderstanding is the name of the famous steep corner at Spa-Francorchamps. Most people believe the name is Eau Rouge. But the correct name is Raidillon.

For more details about this name confusion I reccomend to read the article “Eau Rouge or Raidillon?”, which can be found on the website:
https://www.circuitsofthepast.com/eau-rouge-or-raidillon/ (English)
https://www.circuitsofthepast.nl/eau-rouge-of-raidillon/ (Nederlands)

Special thanks to Simon Smith for the voiceover. Visit also his channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/HigherPlainGames

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