The Solitude racetrack is an race circuit on public roads used for motorsport in the Leonberg area, west of Stuttgart, Germany. It is named after Castle Solitude and until 1965 has hosted various motorcycle and automobile races.

Routes

The traditional track used for motorcycle racing is located above the Bergheim district of Stuttgart, but not in the center of the most important long variant of the former race track. This variant leads from the start and finish house at today's ADAC training ground past the Seehaus and then past the Glemseck near Leonberg to Frauenkreuz. From there it continues in the direction of Katzenbacher Hof with the Steinbachsee, past the Büsnau district of Stuttgart to the Schattengrund and through the Mahdental back to start and finish before Glemseck. The section from Schattengrund to Glemseck runs in the valley of the Glems.

History From 1903: First hillclimb track from Stuttgart Westbahnhof (west train station) to Solitude Castle. From 1906: The start was moved from Westbahnhof to Heslach, a southern district of Stuttgart. From 1925: Circuit with a length of , start and finish at the castle. Direction: counterclockwise. From 1931: The circuit was shortened using the road through the Mahdental. Start and finish was moved to the west. Direction: clockwise. From 1935: Final circuit layout: The route introduced 1931 through Mahdental plus the part excluded in 1931 form the course used until 1965. Direction: counterclockwise. Around 100-year celebration at short route around the castle, but still at historic track parts 1965: Races of motorcycles, sports cars and Formula 2 cars mark the final time that international motor sports events were held on the "Solitude".Solitude Revival Verein: The Sixties (German/English) 2003: 100-year celebration on a short route around the castle, but still using historical parts of the route from 1925 to 1935. Start and finish moved back to the castle. Racing direction clockwise. The only new part is the shortcut over the wildlife park expressway and its access ramp. since 2005: Glemseck 101 annual meeting for custom motorcycles 2011: As a result of the efforts of the Solitude-Revival and Retro Revival Classic Culture initiatives, the roads belonging to the latest variant were closed for a weekend as part of the 2011 automobile summer in Baden-Württemberg on the occasion of the 125th "birthday" of the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. Numerous visitors were able to watch historic racing and sports cars from different eras driving on the racetrack. Report of Solitude Revival Association

Motorcycle racing

To 50 cm³ 1962: 1 Ernst Degner, Suzuki 2 Hans-Georg Anscheidt, Kreidler 1964: 1 Ralph Bryans, Honda 2 Isao Morishita, Suzuki 1965: 1 Ernst Degner, Suzuki 2 Hans-Georg Anscheidt, Kreidler

To 125 cc (175 cc) 1925: Willy Zig, Puch 1926 (175 cc): Arthur Müller, DKW 1927 (175 cc): Arthur Geiss, DKW 1949: L. Vienatzer, Puch 1950: Ewald Kluge, DKW 1951: Paul Hermann Müller, DKW 1952: Werner Haas, NSU 1953: Werner Haas, NSU 1954: Rupert Hollaus, NSU 1955: Karl Lottes, MV Agusta 1956: Romolo Ferri, Gilera 1962: Luigi Taveri, Honda 1964: Jim Redman, Honda 1965: Ernst Degner, Suzuki

To 250 cc 1922: F. Frommholz, NSU 1923: H. Schlaginweit, Paque 1925: Josef Stelzer, BMW 1926: Josef Stelzer, BMW 1927: K. Scherer, NSU 1928: Arthur Geiss, DKW 1929: Kurt Friedrich, DKW 1930: Otto Kohfink, Montgomery 1931: Arthur Geiss, DKW 1935: Arthur Geiss, DKW 1936: Arthur Geiss, DKW 1937: Ewald Kluge, DKW 1949: Otto Daiker, DKW 1950: Hein Thorn Prikker, Moto Guzzi 1951: Enrico Lorenzetti, Moto Guzzi 1952: Rudi rims Heier, DKW 1953: Otto Daiker, NSU 1954: Werner Haas, NSU 1955: Hans Baltisberger, NSU 1956: Carlo Ubbiali, MV Agusta 1959: Willy Oesterle, Maico 1960: Gary Hocking, MV Agusta 1961: Jim Redman, Honda 1962: Jim Redman, Honda 1964: Phil Read, Yamaha 1965: Ginger Molloy, Bultaco

To 350 cc 1925: E. Bussinger, A.J.S. 1926: Ms. Adam, A.J.S. 1927: F. Franconi, Motosacoche 1928: Friedrich Messerschmidt, BMW 1929: Hans Soénius, BMW 1930: Tom Bullus, NSU 1931: Jimmie Guthrie, Norton 1935: Werner Mellmann, NSU 1936: Heiner Fleischmann, NSU 1937: Heiner Fleischmann, NSU 1949: Wilhelm heart, NSU 1950: Heiner Fleischmann, NSU 1951: Norton Geoff Duke 1952: Reg Armstrong, Norton 1953: Siegfried wishes, DKW 1954: Ray Amm, Norton 1955: Ken Kavanagh, Moto Guzzi – 2 Course: August Hobl, DKW 1956: Bill Lomas Moto Guzzi – 2nd Place: August Hobl, DKW 1964: Jim Redman, Honda

500 cc 1922: M. Mahlenbrei, Triumph 1923: J. Mayer, Victoria 1925: Rudolf Empire, BMW 1926: Ernst Jakob Henne, BMW 1927: Hans Thumshirn, Ardie 1927: Hans Soénius, BMW 1928: BMW Friedrich Messerschmidt 1929: Hans Soénius, BMW 1930: Tom Bullus, NSU 1931: Jimmie Guthrie, Norton 1935: Oscar Steinbach, NSU 1936: Otto Ley, BMW 1937: Kurt Mansfeld, DKW 1949: Georg Meier, BMW 1950: Heiner Fleischmann, NSU 1951: Norton Geoff Duke 1952: Reg Armstrong, Norton 1953: Georg Meier, BMW 1954: Geoff Duke, Gilera 1955: Walter Zeller, BMW 1956: Reg Armstrong, Gilera 1960: John Surtees, MV Agusta 1964: Mike Hailwood, MV Agusta (this year it was also World Champion)

To 750 cc 1925: V. King Fachsenfeld, Norton 1926: Charles Raebel, BMW

To 1000 cm ³ 1925: Ernst Ißlinger, NSU 1926: Paul Koppen, BMW 1927: BMW Toni Bauhofer 1928: Heck, Harley-Davidson 1929: Josef Stelzer, BMW 1930: Ernst Zündorf, BMW 1931: NSU Paul Rüttchen

500/600/1000 cc sidecar 1925: 600 cc: Schwanberger, Norton – 1000 cc: Imholz Harley-Davidson 1927: 600 cc: H. Eurich, D-Rad – 1000 cc: H. Dobler, New Imperial 1928: 600 cc: Hermann Lang, Standard – 1000 cc: H. Frey, AJS 1929: 600 cc: Hermann Lang, Standard – 1000 cc: A. Sitzberger, BMW 1935: 600 cc: Hans Kahrmann, DKW – 1000 cc: Charles Brown / Ernst Badsching, Horex 1936: 600 cc: Toni Babl, DKW – 1000 cc: Hans Schumann, NSU 1937: 600 cc: Brown, DKW – 1000 cc: Zimmermann, DKW 1949: 600 cc: Schmidt / agent Meyer, NSU – 1000 cc: Max Klankermeier / Henry Wolz, BMW 1950: 600 cc: Hermann Boehm / Karl Fuchs, NSU – 1200 cc: Kraus / Huser, BMW 1951: 500 cc: Ludwig Kraus / Bernard Huser, BMW – 750 cc: Eric Oliver / Lorenzo Dobelli, Norton 1952: Cyril Smith / Bob Clements, Norton 1953: Eric Oliver / Stanley Dibben, Norton 1954: Wilhelm Noll / Fritz Cron, BMW 1955: Willi fist / Karl Remmert, BMW 1956: Wilhelm Noll / Fritz Cron, BMW 1960: Helmut Fath / Alfred borage, BMW 1961: Max Deubel / Emil horns, BMW 1962: Max Deubel / Emil horns, BMW 1964: Fritz Scheidegger / John Robinson, BMW 1965: Max Deubel / Emil horns, BMW

Automobile races Automobile races were held less frequently. From 1961 to 1964, these races on the Solitude racetrack, held in parallel to motorcycle racing, were not counting towards the Formula 1 World Cup. Participants or winners here were Hans Herrmann, Innes Ireland, Jim Clark, Dan Gurney, John Surtees, Jack Brabham.

Formula I and II 1960 (Formula II): 1 Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips, Ferrari 2 Hans Herrmann, Porsche 3 Joakim Bonnier, Porsche 4 Graham Hill, Porsche 5 Dan Gurney, Porsche 1961 (Formula I): 1 Innes Ireland, Lotus 2 Joakim Bonnier, Porsche 3 Dan Gurney, Porsche 4 Bruce McLaren, Cooper 5 Jack Brabham, Cooper 6 Hans Herrmann, Porsche 7 Jim Clark, Lotus 8 Edgar Barth, Porsche 9 Trevor Taylor, Lotus 1962 (Formula I): 1 Dan Gurney, Porsche 2 Joakim Bonnier, Porsche 3 Trevor Taylor, Lotus 4 Ian Burgess, Cooper 5 Carel Godin de Beaufort, Porsche 6 Gerhard Mitter, Lotus 7 Heinz Schiller, Porsche 8 Bernard Collomb, Cooper 1963 (Formula I): 1 Jack Brabham, Brabham 2 Peter Arundell, Lotus 3 Innes Ireland, B.R.M. 4 Lorenzo Bandini, B.R.M. 5 Gerhard Mitter, Porsche 6 Jim Hall, Lotus 7 Carel Godin de Beaufort, Porsche 8 Bob Anderson, Lola 9 Joakim Bonnier, Cooper 10 Mario Cabral, Cooper 1964 (Formula I): 1 Jim Clark, Lotus 2 John Surtees, Ferrari 3 Bob Anderson, Brabham 4 Peter Revson, B.R.M. 5 Joakim Bonnier, Brabham 6 Trevor Taylor, B.R.M. 7 Jo Siffert, B.R.M. 8 Carel Godin de Beaufort, Porsche 9 Mike Hailwood, Lotus 10 Ernst Maring, Kuhnke / Borgward 1965 (Formula II): 1 Chris Amon, Lola 2 Alan Rees, Brabham 3 Gerhard Mitter, Brabham 4 Peter Revson, Lotus 5 Kurt Ahrens Jr.., Brabham 6 Mike Beckwith, Brabham 7 Jo Schlesser, Brabham 8 Silvio Moser, Brabham 9 Hans Herrmann, Lotus 10 Eric Offenstadt, Cooper

Lap records

The fastest official race lap records of the Solitude Racetrack are listed as:

Category Time Driver Vehicle Event Grand Prix Circuit (1935–1965): Formula One 3:49.100 Jim Clark Lotus 25 1963 Solitude Grand Prix Sports car racing 3:59.200 Gerhard Mitter Porsche 904/8 Bergspyder 1965 Solitude DARM round Formula Two 4:01.500 Alan Rees Brabham BT16 1965 Solitude Grand Prix Formula Junior 4:04.700 Peter Arundell Lotus 27 1963 Solitude Formula Junior race 350cc 4:15.900 Jim Redman Honda RC172 500cc 4:16.300 Mike Hailwood MV Agusta 500 4C 250cc 4:17.000 Phil Read Yamaha RD56 125cc 4:37.600 Hugh Anderson Suzuki 125 V4 Formula Libre 5:41.900 Hans Stuck AFM-1 Original Grand Prix Circuit (1925–1930): Formula Libre 13:23.300 Christian Werner Mercedes 1924 GP 1926 Solituderennen

References

Literature Thomas Mehne: Racing at Solitude 1949–1965 – The Competition Cars, Petrolpics 2011, .

External links Maintaining the tradition of Solitude Swabia prank – 100 Years of Solitude (pdf) article in MOTORCYCLE 8/2003 Solitude racetrack, Part 1 Süddeutsche Zeitung of 1 November 2011 Solitude racetrack, Part 2 Süddeutsche Zeitung of 1 November 2011 Solitude racetrack, part 3 Süddeutsche Zeitung of 1 November 2011