44th, Stirling Moss Masters Pescara: Iconic Victory Amidst the Heat
The Nordschleife’s reputation was forged through its hazardous essence and improbable length – but it lies only second in F1’s world championship record books in terms of circuit distance. At 16.055 miles on public roads, Pescara just has the edge.
Races had been staged close to the Adriatic town since the 1920s, but it hadn’t featured on the calendar during the world championship’s first seven seasons. In 1957, however, the sport had been forced to recalibrate following the Suez Crisis and motor racing’s governing body needed willing promoters. The Dutch and Belgian GPs had been cancelled at short notice, after the organisers asked participating teams to accept reduced appearance money – a request twice declined. There was a risk that the calendar might be reduced to six Grands Prix – Argentina, Monaco, France, Britain, Germany and Italy – plus the Indy 500, so Pescara was gratefully embraced. It would be the first time two world championship races had taken place in one country during the same season.
Motor Sport contributor Richard Williams wrote a fine book on Pescara ’57, The Last Road Race, and spoke to several participating drivers. “It was fantastic,” Tony Brooks told him, “a real race circuit. To me, Grand Prix racing is road racing and anything less than that is nothing like as rewarding or satisfying. It was a great challenge.”