Eläintarhan ajot (Finnish: Suomen Suurajot; Suomen Grand Prix) was a Finnish motor racing competition arranged between years 1932 and 1963 in Eläintarha, Helsinki, Finland. The idea for the race came from a racing driver, S. P. J. Keinänen. Its racing history included the pre-war Finnish Grand Prix.

First race The first Grand Prix-race was a success and it attracted around 25,000 spectators. There were ten cars in the first start, six of them Finnish and four Swedish. The very first win went to the Swede Per Viktor Widengren who drove a Mercedes-Benz, second to qualify was S. P. J. Keinänen in a Chrysler and the third place went to Karl Ebb driving a Mercedes-Benz.

Motorcycles Motorcycle races were also held from the beginning – the first motorcycle win was also taken by a Swede – Gunnar Kalén. The best-placed Finn was Raine Lampinen who finished second in the lower class.

Last race

The Eläintarha race was an annual happening in Helsinki for almost 30 years until the final race was held in 1963. The winner of this last race was Timo Mäkinen, although the main start (Formula Junior) was canceled after a fatal accident. At the start a driver (whose identity has not been confirmed) hit Curt Lincoln's Brabham BT6 (Formula Junior), and the car slid to the left side of track. Most drivers managed to avoid a collision but the Swedish Örjan Atterberg hit his countryman Freddy Kottulinsky. Unfortunately Atterberg's car flipped over and the driver was pinned under his vehicle. As a result of the crash Atterberg sustained fatal injuries. The race was stopped by the race officials one minute after crash and the jury told the race was over.

As the setup was considered too dangerous this was the final race to be conducted on the city circuit. The racing events that followed the ill-fated Eläintarha race were held at Keimola Motor Stadium between 1966–1978.

In the 1930s motor racing events were also arranged couple of times in Munkkiniemi, a residential district in northwest Helsinki.

Afterwards The race has been arranged three times since to honour its memory – the first time was in 1982, then 1992 and the last time was in 2002. In the 1992 event Juan Manuel Fangio was present. Around 2005, a detailed and driveable virtual recreation of the circuit appeared for the Grand Prix Legends historical racing simulation.

Statistics Active years: 1932–39 and 1946–63 Circuit length: (1932), (from 1933) Lap record: David Hitches, Lola Mk 5 Ford, time: 57.1 seconds/ (1963) Most spectators: 82,597 (1958) Most wins: Curt Lincoln (14)

Results 1932–1963

Year Driver Car Class Report 1932 Per-Viktor Widengren Mercedes-Benz SSK Grand Prix Report 1933 Karl Ebb Mercedes-Benz SSK Grand Prix Report 1934 Eugen Bjørnstad Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza Grand Prix Report 1935 Karl Ebb Mercedes Benz SSK 7.1L Grand Prix Report 1936 Eugen Bjørnstad Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza Grand Prix Report 1937 Hans Rüesch Alfa Romeo 8C-35 3.8L Grand Prix Report 1938 Not held 1939 Adolf Westerblom Alfa Romeo Monza 2.6L Grand Prix Report 1946 Only motorcycles 1947 Asser Wallenius Ford Roadster 1934 Class B – Helge Hallmann Ford special Formula Libre –1948 Magnus Knutsson BMW Class A – Leo Mattila Ford Roadster Class B – S. P. J. Keinänen Chrysler special Formula Libre – 1949 S. P. J. Keinänen BMW 328 Class A – 1951 S. P. J. Keinänen Jaguar XK120 Production –1952 Michael Head Jaguar XK120 Division +2000 – Valdemar Stener Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta Division 2000 – Roger Laurent Talbot-Lago T26C Formula 1 Report1953 Robert Nelleman Allard +2000 GT – Valdemar Stener Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta 2000 GT – Rodney Nuckey Cooper T23 Formula 1 Report Curt Lincoln Cooper-Norton Formula 3 –1954 Michael Head Jaguar C-type GT +2000 – John Bengtsson Ferrari 166 Touring Barchetta GT 2000 – Rodney Nuckey Cooper-Bristol F2 Formula Libre – Eric Brandon Cooper-Norton Formula 3 –1955 Michael Head Jaguar D-type Division +2000 – Curt Lincoln Jaguar C-type +2000 production – Joakim Bonnier Alfa Romeo 1900 Sprint 2000 production – Eric Brandon Cooper Formula 3 –1956 Curt Lincoln Jaguar D-type +2000 production – Harry Saaristo Triumph TR2 2000 production – John Kvarnström Ferrari 750 Monza +2000 – Eric Brandon Halselec-Climax 2000 – Eric Brandon Cooper Formula 3 –1957 Joakim Bonnier Maserati 200S S+2.0 – Curt Lincoln Ferrari 500 TR S 2.0 – Arne Lindberg Mercedes-Benz 300 SL GT+2.0 – J.A. Iversen Porsche 356 Carrera GT 2.0 – Curt Lincoln Cooper T 42 Mark XI Formula 3 –1958 Graham Whitehead Aston Martin DB3S Division +2000 – Ivor Bueb Lotus 12 Coventry Climax Division 2000 – Curt Lincoln Ferrari 250 GT TDF GT +2000 – Curt Lincoln Cooper T 42 Mark XII Formula 3 –1959 Carl-Otto Bremer Ferrari 750 Monza S+2.0 – Curt Lincoln Cooper Monaco S 2.0 – Carl-Gunnar Hammarlund Porsche 356 Carrera GT – Curt LincolnCooper T 42 Mark XII Formula 3 –1960 Jimmy Blumer Cooper Monaco S 2.0 – Heimo Hietaranta Cooper/Norton Formula 3 – Curt Lincoln Cooper Formula Junior –1961 David Hitches Lola 2000 – Heimo Hietaranta Cooper/Norton Formula 3 – Carl-Otto Bremer Elva 100 Formula Junior –1962 Carl-Gunnar Hammarlund Porsche 356 Carrera GT +1300cc – Curt LincolnLotus Elite GT 1300cc – Curt LincolnCooper T 42 Mark XII Formula 3 – Olle Nygren Cooper T56 Formula Junior –1963 Holger Laine Volvo PV544 ST +1600cc – Timo Mäkinen Morris Mini Cooper ST 1150cc –

References

External links Video archive – Eläintarhanajot, YLE