Marco Bezzecchi
Street circuits are back on the radar of Dorna after a 51-year hiatus from some of the most dangerous circuits in the history of Grand Prix motorcycle racing.
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta caused a stir at Formula 1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix last weekend after he confirmed that MotoGP could potentially race at some street circuits in the future.
The verdict ‘baffled’ MotoGP fans, who instantly questioned the safety measures that would be present on some of the narrowest circuits currently on the F1 calendar.
Whilst the Indonesian Grand Prix is technically held at a street circuit, the track was purposely constructed as a venue to house competitors on two wheels, including sufficient run-off areas and permanent facilities.
Ezpeleta’s comments were in reference to the more traditional concept of a street circuit, but surely there’s no way we could see Marc Marquez go elbows to the ground on the streets of Monaco, right?
Victor Palomo won the last motorcycle Grand Prix held on a true street circuit, at Montjuic in 1974
The last time a Grand Prix motorcycle race was held at a true street circuit was in 1974, at the Montjuic circuit.
Located on the Montjuic mountain in Barcelona, the circuit hosted the Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix eleven times between 1951 and 1974, as well as four F1 Grands Prix between 1969 and 1975.
It is notable in the world of Formula 1 for being the only occasion to date that a female driver has scored points in the world championship landscape.
The 1974 edition of the Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix saw Victor Palomo take his first and only victory in the sport, with the race serving as a storybook home win for the Catalan rider.
The grid would return in 1976, but outside of the confines of the world championship. Palomo would return to claim second place at the circuit that year, but was unable to beat Kork Ballington as he also went on to take his maiden victory in the sport at the same circuit.
Which F1 street track should MotoGP stage a race at? Let us know why in the comments!
As well as a motorcycle rider, Victor Palomo was also a world champion
Before Palomo found his calling on two wheels, the Spaniard began his sporting career as a professional water skier in 1959.
He would go on to win a multitude of accolades during his career on skis, including the 1969 water skiing slalom world championship at the age of 21.
During this period, Palomo also represented Spain as a member of the Spanish bobsleigh team at the 1968 Winter Olympics, held in Grenoble.
After breaking both of his knees following a water skiing accident in 1970, he purchased a motorcycle whilst in Belgium, and began to race in motocross competitions.
Palomo found a passion in the sport and gave up his commitments to water skiing in the following year in order to pursue a career in Grand Prix racing instead.
Over 10 years of racing in between some hefty accidents, he called it quits at the end of the 1982 season in order to fully recuperate.
Unfortunately, Palomo died in 1985 at the age of 36, due to complications that were caused by treatments to promote bone recovery.
His legacy continues as the final winner of a Grand Prix motorcycle race in the world championship format.
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