Pedralbes Circuit – A lap on the old street circuit

A photo tour around the Pedralbes Circuit, a former Formula One street circuit in Barcelona. The photos are made by Herman Liesemeijer in the summer of 2008. It shows the current look of the classic street circuit.

The layout of the Pedralbes Circuit.

We start our lap on the Pedralbes Circuit at the Avinguda Diagonal, at the site where the Formula 1 races where started and finished. In the 1950s it was named Avenida del Generalisimo Franco, after dictator Francsco Franco. Actually, this section was not a part of the original lay out from 1946, but was added to the track in 1950 for the Formula 1. The old Start/Finish line was at another part of the 2 km (1.24 Miles) long straight.

This intersection was the last corner of the pre 1950 version of the Pedralbes Circuit, when the straight was only 1,3 km (0.8125 Mile) long.

Here we pass the Palau Reial de Pedralbes. Probably here was the original Start/Finish line.

From here the straight is climbing slightly.

At the end of the 2 km ( 1.25 Mile) long straight we approach the first corner.

Here was the breaking zone for the first corner…

The first corner used to be here, at the site of the overpass.

After the first corner accelerating on the Avinguda d’Esplugues, then called Carretera de Cornella a Focas de Tordera.

A sign warns for speed traps now! We need to keep right to enter the the original road.

The first kink of the sweeping section starts now with a roundabout.

The flat out kink was followed by a short straight.

This was the first corner of the most technical section of the Pedralbes Circuit.

After this long corner another long straight…

The Avenida de la Victoria, now the Avinguda de Pedralbes.

From here the Pedralbes Circuit was descending slightly.

If you say Barcelona you say Gaudí.

At the pre 1950 version of the Pedralbes Circuit, you had to go straight on at this intersection…

To enter here the Avenida del Generalisimo Franco…

But we will follow the 1950 extension and turn left at the intersection…

And we are going into the Passeig de Manuel Girona, which still have the same name!

A slight bend in the Passeig de Manuel Girona.

Passing the Finca Miralles from Gaudí.

Hard braking for the corner at the end of the Passeig de Manuel Girona…

Now a roundabout!

Then into the Carrer de Numància.

After a relatively short straight we turn back to the Start/Finish straight.

That was a lap at the Pedralbes Circuit. We’re now back at the point we started.

© Text & photos: Herman Liesemeijer