This is part 3 of the European Grand Prix mini history series - years 1996 and 1997.

In 1996 European Grand Prix returned to Nurburgring for the second year in a row. Yet again it turned out to be a significant race - the future champion won his first race here.

Williams were the team to beat those days and so it came as no suprise that Damon Hill and the new arrival from American racing Jacques Villeneuve booked themselves the front row on the grid. Behind them lined up Schumacher (Ferrari), Alesi (Benetton), Barrichello (Jordan) and Coulthard (McLaren). Confident Hill however made mess of his start and Villeneuve took the lead. Coulthard came out of nowhere in struggling McLaren and found himself 2nd challenging for the lead. Barrichello moved up to third ahead of Schumacher, Hill and Hakkinen.

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After eight years break the European GP returned to Formula 1 calendar in 1993 for so far the one only F1 race at Donnington Park, the planned post 2009 British GP venue. And again same as back in 1983 the European GP happened because plans for another race, the Asian GP in Japan, failed. There were several memorable European GP races in the past and the 1993 Donnington race is one of them, remembered as perhaps the greatest Ayrton Senna’s victory. The race started in wet rainy conditions. After start Prost held on to his P1 ahead of Hill while Senna dropped one back behind to fifth behind Wendlinger and Schumacher. However by the end of lap one Senna was leading the race (video). He won this wet-dry-wet-dry race over a minute ahead of Damon Hill who was the only driver on the same lap Senna (after unlapping himself).

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Formula 1 and F1Wolf will head to Valencia in 2 weeks for the inaugural Formula 1 race on Valencia Street Circuit. This may be the first European GP in Valencia but the history of European Grand Prix goes much further back. In fact it goes all the way back to 1923, long before Formula 1 championship was formed. There were however no standalone races between 1923 and 1997. One race a year received the honorary European GP title and that was it. Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Monaco, Netherelands, Austria, Switzerland and Great Britain all had the honours to run some of their Grands Prix as an European GP in those years. This mini series will however focus on the European GPs proper.

It all started almost by accident in 1983. When the New York Grand Prix was cancelled with only 3 months to go. Organizers from Brands Hatch were able to step in and host the race as European GP (British GP title was not available, that race was held at Silverstone that year). It was the penultimate race of the season with three drivers still in the hunt for championship - Prost, Piquet and Tambay. The race was won by Nelson Piquet (who then secured th title in South Africa) ahead of Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell.

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The most popular posts on F1Wolf drawing thousands of views were my picture reports from the Singapore street track. You can see here the Part 1 and here the Part 2.

I am glad to see I am not the only one walking around the Formula 1 street track to be with a camera. There is also a fellow blogger in Spain filling up his blog with lot’s of photos of the Valencia’s European GP track. And although my Spanish is limited to Hola ! and cerveza it is not that difficult to navigate the page and discover what the street track for the 2008 Euroean GP may look like.

There are lots of photos, some with English commentary, and the latest update shows the photos of the track just about a week ago. There are few remarks mentioning the European GP as a night race - that I do not think that is a correct assumption. First of all I do not remember that being announced. Second - Singapore GP is widely promoted as a 1st Formula 1 night race and as it takes part few weeks after the European GP there can’t be any other night race before that

In any case, if anyone is interested to follow the progress of the construction of the European GP street track in Valencia, or anyone plans to go to the race, the gpeuropa.net is a good address to visit.

Photo courtesy of gpeuropa.net

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I kind of predicted in my post Test Drivers Helmets from March 11 that we may see some of the test drivers on the grid. Not that I am such a visionary, but this happens more less every season. Winkelhock is the first one of them to get promotion to the race seat, although so far for one race only. This creates all German line up for Spyker. It also means there will be five German drivers on the grid of European GP in Germany.
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