Automotodrom Grobnik, Racing Circuit

Automotodrom Grobnik lies in the mountains above the city of Rijeka on the Croatian coast and remains the only FIA and FIM accredited circuit in the country. It was built rapidly across just a couple of months in 1978 after the FIM banned racing on the dangerous Opatija street circuit, with the work aided by the army and by prisoners, and the soldiers laying an unusually high-grip, long-lasting asphalt surface. The fast, flowing anti-clockwise track opened on 17 September 1978 with the Yugoslavian motorcycle Grand Prix, won in part by Australian Gregg Hansford, and it went on to host the Grand Prix throughout the 1980s. Those years saw 500cc victories from stars including Freddie Spencer, Wayne Gardner, Eddie Lawson and Kenny Roberts, but the circuit was also marred by several fatal accidents and, in 1990, by a chaotic and dangerous Grand Prix weekend that drew heavy criticism of the organisation and medical care. The breakup of Yugoslavia and the ensuing war halted top-level racing for years, and international events largely stayed away even after the circuit became part of independent Croatia. A gradual revival followed, with the FIM World Sidecar Championship returning in 2005 and the track resurfaced for the first time in 2018. More recently it has welcomed the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, added in 2020, alongside FIA Central European Zone, Alpe Adria and Croatian championship events. Surrounded by mountains with sweeping views, it also serves as a popular testing venue and opens to the public for free practice.

Operated by: Automotodrom Grobnik d.o.o.