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Om Most:
Autodrom Most is a motorsport race track near Most in the northwest of the Czech Republic. Källa: Wikipedia. The first race event in the city of Most took place not long after the second World War, when on the 25th of May, 1947 the first motorcycle race, on the track around the beer brewery, was started. The first car race took place five years later.
In the following years, the places of the events changed often, some races took place in the city and some in its close surroundings. It did not take long for the races to be included into the championship calendar. The first championship points were awarded on the track in Stalingrad district in the year 1965. In the early seventies the battle for the points took place on the track laid out on part of a highway type road near the new railway station. The 3450 meters long track gained great popularity and in the year 1979 for the first time the prestigious Interserie race and sports car race took place there. But the raising demands on safety did not make for bright future for this classic circuit. This was the reason for the commencing of construction of a new special racetrack on the other side of the city. The history of improvised racetracks layouts ended in 1983 with the opening of the new racetrack. Before the first race on the new track in front of a hundred thousand spectators was started, 57 events, of which 35 were cars races and 22 bikes races, took place in Most and its surrounding since second World War.
The construction of Autodrom-Most started in 1978 in the place of Vrbenský strip mine. The preliminary project was made in 1976 by group lead by Václav Paur. It seems almost impossible that the project was made without the possibility of foreign racetrack inspection. The authors were only on a short visit to Hockenheim and Nürburgring and all they had to aid them in their work were FIA and FIM regulations and knowledge gained form magazines and TV broadcasts, but no detail was overlooked. After four years of hard work, on the 140ha large construction site the racetrack started to take shape.
The new race-circuit was granted a three year FIM licence for motorcycles championships and also a three year FIA licence, which allowed group C cars, formula 3 and Interserie events to take place. The idea of building a special race-circuit was connected with cars and motorcycles, but the authors had also other uses in mind. And soon testing of racecars, new cars, driving schools for drivers of ambulances, fire-engines, police cars, race schools and safe driving schools took place.
In 1995 the racetrack began to be managed by Autodrom-Most l.t.d. In the few past years the first Czech special racetrack was not taken care of as it would deserve. The track decayed and lost its FIM and FIA licences. The first task for the new owner was to regain these licences. This required a major reconstruction. New safety measurements were the task of the first phase. A 330 meters long wall behind the retarder was built in record time of five months. Over 20.000 tons of new gravel sand were placed onto the safety zones of the track, new catch fences were installed on chosen spots and the track was equipped with new road barriers according to tightest FIA regulations. On the 9th of May, 1995 a homologation inspection was carried out by FIA and FIM.
In the second phase the social area on the spectator slope was reconstructed. A new pedestrian underpass which allows the spectators direct access to the paddock was built and new recording system was installed in the dispatching centre. One commercial bridge over was built before the season and another before the September Czech Truck Prix ´96.
The most race circuit entered its jubilee 15th season by absolving the inspection by FIM commissioner, who granted the licence for motorcycles championship. The FIA granted an exception for Interserie races, which were for category B tracks only. Safety zones had to be replenished, track drainage and new medical centre had to be built before the exception could be granted. The stands on the spectator slope got a new colouring.
A significant event for the track, the city, the region and even the republic was the Dopravní den ?eské poji?ovny a kody Auto in August 1998
Just before entering the new millennium the third commercial bridge over was built and the paddock area was enlarged and enhanced.
The company Autodrom Most entered the year 2000 transformed into a stock company and the whole season was made exceptional compared to the last years. The first open day was prepared and the formula 1 Thoroughbred Grand prix championship weekend in June was accompanied by the first open air concert on the spectator?s slope by the most contemporary popular group Lucie.
When the historical formula 1 race took place on the circuit, Mr. David Coulthard pilot of the formula 1, who became the patron of the first Czech circuit in 1999, paid us a visit. More than hundred thousand spectators visited the Czech Truck Prix 2000 and it was encouragement to upcoming seasons and events.
The 2001 season was also started by the day of open doors, which became popular amongst motorists fans. The race calendar again included national and European motorcycles championships, the June Thoroughbred Grand Prix F1, the August international car race and the traditional European Truck championship at the end of August. Another commercial bridge over was built and with the new general sponsor MATADOR, Slovakian tyre manufacturer, the race track got new colours. With its other activities the Autodrom Most is trying to help its region, which is one of the regions with the highest unemployment rate. A lot of working places will be available with the realisation of the planned practice grounds ? the polygon and other working places will be available when the construction is finished. Two new buildings grew up in the paddock, near the tower a modern social services building and then at the end of the pit lane a modern and perfectly equipped medical centre, which brings the race track closer to the highest events. One of these events was the European Le Mans Series weekend in August, which was acquired after the possibility for the super powerful cars to start on Austrian track near Salzburg diminished. The race resembling the famous 24 hours of Le Mans not only by its driver changes, tyre changes and refuelling, but also by the participation of high-end cars and famous drivers, was very successful. A promise was made to bring this event to Most again, but the events of September the 11th, decided otherwise. The European Le Mans series seasons were unfortunately over.
The new event which appeared next year was the NDS Euro Boss series, in which old F1, F3000 and race prototypes started. With its feel and prestige it became a full grown replacement for the earlier historical TGP races or racing specials from ELMS. The race in July made its way into history by a new track record, but also by the unfortunate fatal accident of Austrian driver Federico Careca. The high point of the season was again the Matador Czech Truck Prix, seen by tens of thousands spectators from all over Europe.
Just before the start of the 2003 season the racetrack was as usual inspected by FIA, FIM and UEM. On some places of the track the road barriers were repaired, curbs changed and other minor changes were made. The result of all negotiations and by decision of the stockholders board it was clear that Autodrom Most needs a general reconstruction: The first curve after the start needs to be changed, the so called retarder, additions in the technical background, administration offices enlargement and other things. So the projects were started, so the general reconstruction could take place in 2004.
The 2003 season was a classical one, the only new event was the successful Ferrari Challenge Cup. The national closed circuit championship got new blood, with more and more participants in all touring classes and formulas. The regular high points of racing weekends are the ?eská poji?ovna - koda Octavia Cup races and the recovering Interserie races, now under the name
I.S.O. Racing Challenge. The traditional races now include motorcycles battles of the national, German and European championships. The traditional high point of the jubilee 20th season on the Autodrom Duhové energie, now with major sponsor ?EZ, was the European truck championship. In the end of 2003 the construction, on the 12ha area of the spectator slope, of the first phase of the multifunctional polygon started, which after finished will increase the prestige of the racetrack and the region.
In January 2004 the works on moving the engineering nets in the area of the ratarder started. A new curve according to world-wide trends enforced by the security committee of FIA. Shortly after the year 2004 began, the race circuit web pages got a new and modern look.
AUTODROM MOST a.s. is on the brink of a new stage...
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