The first time a Grand Prix was held in Libya,
which was an Italian protectorate from 1912 till 1942, was in 1925.
It was held at a slow "Monaco style" street circuit, near the
capital Tripoli, which was not very popular by public and drivers.
In 1933 the authorities, in particular the new
governor of Libya under Mussolini Italo Balbo, decided that the
Tripoli Grand Prix should become a major event. A new street circuit
was built, the fastest in the world, around the Mellaha salt lake
with the most modern facilities at that time. Almost all the corners
of the 13,14 km (8.21 mile) long circuit where fast kinks, most of
them where flat-out!
Governor Balbo shakes hands with the drivers at the starting
grid.
There was also a lottery linked to the race. The
numbers of the cars where linked to the numbers at the lottery
tickets and the holder of the number that was linked to the winning
car should win 7,5 million Lire! The first race at Mellaha lake in
1933 resulted in a race-fixing scandal when top drivers made a deal
with a ticketholder to share into the prize money. Since than the
numbers where drawn five minutes before the start of the race when
the drivers where in their cars!
The last Tripoli Grand Prix was held
in 1940. Than also Libya get involved in World War Two. In 1943
Libya came under British authority and in 1949 the UN decided that
Libya should become an independent kingdom. In 1969 Colonel Ghaddafi
came to power by a coup. After 1940 they never raced again at the
Mellaha Lake circuit.
Inside the circuit was an airbase of the Italian
Air Force which was built in 1923. In January 1943 the airbase was
taken by the British and since the spring of 1943 it was used by the
Americans for bombardment flights. In 1954 the American government
agreed with the Libyan government that they could use the airbase
until the end of 1971. In this period the airbase was extended which
was a disaster for the circuit! The huge grandstand and the control
tower where demolished and the start/finish area was changed into a
new runway. Now the famous track was history!
In September 1969 Colonel Ghaddafi came to power
in Libya and requires the Americans to leave the airbase and hand it
over to Libya. After negotiations both parties agreed that the base
would be handed over to Libya in December 1969. Ironically, later in
1986 this airbase was bombed by the Americans. Today the former
airbase is a civil airport called Methega. About 50% of the roads
who formed once this renowned track are still there. But the
start/finish area including al the buildings is completely gone!
Since Ghaddafi has normalised the relations with
the west, some people talk about a Formula 1 Grand Prix in Libya in
the near future. Of course at a brand new circuit!
