Circuito del Montenero

The Montenero Circuit, official name: Circuito del Montenero or sometimes referred to simply as "the Livorno Circuit", was a Grand Prix motor racing road course located at the southern outskirts of Livorno, a city on the mediterranean coast of the Tuscany region in Italy. The venue was best known as the home for the annual Circuito Montenero - Coppa Ciano and the 1937 Italian Grand Prix.[1][2]

Circuito Montenero-Coppa Ciano

Location	Livorno, Italy
Time zone	GMT +1
Coordinates	43°30′45″N 10°19′2″E
Major events	Formula Libre - Grand Prix - Voiturette
Surface	Asphalt
Length	22.5 km (14.0 mi)
Turns	164
Race lap record	13:27.8 (89.13 km/h) (55.8 mph) ( Tazio Nuvolari, Alfa Romeo, 1933, Grand Prix)
Circuito Montenero (1936-1937)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	7.218 km (4.485 mi)
Turns	14
Race lap record	2:44:54 (125.9 km/h) ( Rudolf Caracciola, Mercedes, 1937, Grand Prix)
Circuito Montenero (1938-1939)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	5.80 km (3.60 mi)
Turns	9
Race lap record	2:30.10 (139.5 km/h) ( Giuseppe Farina, Alfa Romeo, 1939, Grand Prix)
Circuito Montenero (1948)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	5.01 km (3.107 mi)
Turns	10
Race lap record	1:13.51 (101.56 km/h) ( Franco Venturi, Cisitalia D46 - Fiat, 1947, Voiturette 1500)

Winning Varzi in P2 on this day

The circuit was created in 1921 at the initiative of Paolo Fabbrini, owner of the newspaper Corriere di Livorno to host local sports car races.[1] On September 25 the same year, the first "Coppa Montenero" was held on an 18.5 km long public roads circuit with 164 corners, starting at the seafront "Rotonda" (Parco Bartolini) in the Ardenza district of Livorno, stretching up into the hills of Montenero, climbing to about 300 meters above sea level before returning down to the start/finish line. The circuit was long, with dangerous sections and extremely hard on both man and machine but considered a huge success, attracting interest from regional motoring clubs and the automobile industry alike.

In 1927, Livorno-born politician Costanzo Ciano donated the first "Coppa Ciano" trophy, starting one of the most prestigious Grand Prix racing series to endure for the next 12 years. Like many other circuits of the era, Montenero had to change its layout several times over the years to accommodate the growing demands of racing technology. The last major Circuito Montenero - Coppa Ciano Grand Prix in 1939 also marks the end of the great road course era. Safety concerns, increasingly unmanageable circuit demands, faster cars among other factors left shorter, purpose-built race tracks as the only viable alternative for future Grand Prix venues. One last "Coppa Montenero" was held in 1947 in an attempt to revive the circuit but proved to be financially unsuccessful. A minor sports car race in 1953 was the last event before the track was closed down for good.