Råbelövsbanan is a former racing circuit in Kristianstad, Scania, Sweden. The circuit, public roads forming roughly a triangle, is located to the north of Kristianstad, from Malmö. The circuit has a length of and width of . The circuit was named after the Råbelöv Castle.
History
The circuit, run clockwise in open landscape, was opened on 14 September 1952.
The circuit was upgraded for 1955, the year that was overshadowed by the Le Mans disaster in June after which many major races in Europe were cancelled, among them the two German World Championship races for 1955 F1 and the 1955 World Sportscar Championships. The Swedish race took place on 7 August 1955 and the Mercedes factory team took the opportunity to race again, winning 1-2 with few opposition despite most factory team having filed entries.https://www.racingsportscars.com/entry/Kristianstad-1955-08-07.html
Due to the successful Swedish exhibition event of 1955, and several other tracks not being available for the 1956 World Sportscar Championship, Kristianstad was made part of the WSC calendar in 1956–1957. Later, Grand Prix motorcycle racing held races in 1959 and 1961. Besides the world championship races, the circuit also hosted Skåneloppet motorcycle races between 1952 and 1956.
After the 1961 Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix, no races were held, the circuit was closed and equipment was sold off. A memorial event took place in 1995. The western and eastern parts of the circuits are country roads, connected now by a roundabout. The northern part that closes the triangle, called Grand Prix-vägen, was reduced to gravel surface despite serving as access road to a school, Resursskola Råbelövstorp. The location of the pit area is still recognisable.
Winners
Not part of the 1955 World Sportscar Championship was the 7 August 1955 Swedish Grand Prixhttps://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Kristianstad-1955-08-07.html won by Juan Manuel Fangio on Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR ahead of teammate Stirling Moss.
World Sportscar Championship
Year Date Winning drivers Winning team Winning car Report 1956 August 12 Phil Hill Maurice Trintignant Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 290 MM Report 1957 August 8 Jean Behra Stirling Moss Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 450S Report
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Year Date 125cc 250cc 350cc 500cc ReportRiderManufacturerRiderManufacturerRiderManufacturerRiderManufacturer 1959 July 26 Tarquinio Provini MV Agusta Gary Hocking MZ John Surtees MV Agusta Bob Brown † Norton † Report 1961 September 17 Luigi Taveri Honda Mike Hailwood Honda František Šťastný Jawa Gary Hocking MV Agusta Report
† Race did not count towards the World Championship.
Lap records
The fastest official race lap records at the Rabelövsbanan are listed as:
Category Time Driver Vehicle Event Grand Prix Circuit (1952–1961): Sports car racing 2:20.900 Jean Behra Maserati 450S 1957 Swedish Grand Prix 500cc 2:22.300 Gary Hocking MV Agusta 500 4C 250cc 2:31.000 Jim Redman Honda RC162 350cc 2:36.500 John Surtees MV Agusta 350 4C 125cc 2:49.600 Luigi Taveri Honda 2RC143
References