Switzerland ends 71-year ban on circuit racing
Seven decades after the 1955 Le Mans tragedy outlawed it, circuit racing returns to Switzerland on 1 July, but a Swiss Grand Prix remains a distant prospect.
Switzerland has officially lifted its 71-year ban on circuit racing, ending one of the most unusual restrictions in world motorsport.
The Swiss government confirmed this week that racing on permanent circuits will again be legal from July 1 - a ban that had been in place since the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans disaster that killed 83 spectators and driver Pierre Levegh.
"It has been decided, under the terms of the amendment ... to lift the ban on circuit racing," the official ordinance stated.
L'Equipe noted that Switzerland had been considering the move for years, with parliamentary initiatives dating back to 2010.
The new framework is cautious rather than a full opening of the floodgates.
Italian financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore explained that race permits will now be handled by individual cantons, which must still evaluate "noise, environmental and safety impacts" on a case-by-case basis.
The report added that "it is difficult to imagine an immediate return of major international events or the rapid construction of permanent racetracks".
"Even the hypothesis of a Swiss Grand Prix remains, for now, more suggestion than concrete prospect."
Il Sole noted that Switzerland remained "an all-Swiss anomaly" - banning circuit racing while simultaneously hosting major motorsport operations including the Audi F1 Team at Hinwil.
The country had already partially reopened the door in 2015 by creating a special exemption for electric racing, allowing Formula E events in Zurich and Bern in 2018 and 2019.
But both races ultimately disappeared because of logistical issues, political resistance and local opposition.
"The norm changes," Il Sole concluded, "but the context remains the same as ever."
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One F1 fan comment on “Switzerland ends 71-year ban on circuit racing”
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In reality, a Swiss GP is highly unlikely to ever happen.