The Ain-Diab Circuit ( ar, دارة عين الذئاب, Dāra ʿAyn aḏ-Ḏiʾāb) was a

Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship ...

road circuit built in 1957, southwest of Ain-Diab in

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria ...

, using the existing coast road and the main road from Casablanca to

Azemmour Azemmour or Azammur ( ar, أزمور, azammūr; ber, ⴰⵣⵎⵎⵓⵔ, azemmur, lit=wild olive tree) is a Moroccan city, lying at the Atlantic ocean coast, on the left bank of the Oum Er-Rbia River, 75 km southwest of Casablanca. Etymo ...

that ran through the Sidi Abderhaman forest. Prior to 1957, the

Anfa Circuit The Anfa Circuit was a street circuit in Morocco. Laid out in the western suburbs of Casablanca, it was used in several layouts for the new Casablanca Grand Prix in 1931, 1932 and 1934. From 1957 on the Ain-Diab Circuit was used, which bordered th ...

and the

Agadir Agadir ( ar, أݣادير, ʾagādīr; shi, ⴰⴳⴰⴷⵉⵔ) is a major city in Morocco, on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean near the foot of the Atlas Mountains, just north of the point where the Souss River flows into the ocean, and south ...

circuit were used for the

Moroccan Grand Prix The Moroccan Grand Prix (Arabic: سباق الجائزة الكبرى المغربي) was a Grand Prix first organised in 1925 in Casablanca, Morocco with the official denomination of "Casablanca Grand Prix". History In 1930, the race was held ...

. The course was designed by the Royal Automobile Club of Morocco and given a full blessing from Sultan Mohammed V. It took six weeks to construct. The site hosted a non-championship F1 race in

1957 1957 (Roman numerals, MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday, common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1957th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 957th year of the 2nd millennium, t ...

. On 19 October 1958 the course was the venue for the

1958 Moroccan Grand Prix The 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix, formally the VII Grand Prix International Automobile du Maroc, was a Formula One motor race held at Ain-Diab Circuit, Casablanca on 19 October 1958, after a six-week break following the Italian Grand Prix. It was rac ...

, the final round in the

1958 Formula One season The 1958 Formula One season was the 12th season of Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1958 World Championship of Drivers, which commenced on 19 January 1958 and ended on 19 October after eleven races. This was the first Formula One sea ...

. It was won by

Stirling Moss Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss (17 September 1929 – 12 April 2020) was a British Formula One racing driver. An inductee into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, he won 212 of the 529 races he entered across several categories of com ...

driving a

Vanwall Vanwall was a motor racing team and racing car constructor that was active in Formula One during the 1950s. Founded by Tony Vandervell, the Vanwall name was derived by combining the name of the team owner with that of his Thinwall bearings ...

, completing the 53 laps in 2h 09m 15.1s.

Mike Hawthorn John Michael Hawthorn (10 April 1929 – 22 January 1959) was a British racing driver. He became the United Kingdom's first Formula One World Champion driver in 1958, whereupon he announced his retirement, having been profoundly affected by the ...

driving a

Ferrari 246 Dino () was a marque best known for mid-engined, rear-drive sports cars produced by Ferrari from 1957 to 1976. The marque came into existence in late 1956 with a front-engined Formula Two racer powered by a brand new '' Dino'' V6 engine. The nam ...

finished second and in doing so became the first British Formula One World Champion. During the race, the engine on the Vanwall of

Stuart Lewis-Evans Stuart Nigel Lewis-Evans (20 April 1930 – 25 October 1958) was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 14 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 19 May 1957. He achieved two podiums, and scored a total of 16 c ...

seized and the car spun and crashed. He was fatally burned, dying in hospital in England eight days later.

References

External links

*
Satellite picture by Google Maps
Sport in Casablanca Moroccan Grand Prix Formula One circuits Motorsport venues in Morocco Defunct motorsport venues in Morocco Ain-Diab {{Morocco-sports-venue-stub