The first German Grand Prix

The largest German sports car race is held on the AVUS in Berlin

Unsettled by its lack of success in international motoring events, in 1909 the German automobile industry established a new company tasked with generating a little enthusiasm for motor racing. The industry hoped that if it were able to rouse the German competitive spirit, then technical development of German cars might improve. One element of this campaign was the construction of the Automobile Traffic and Practice Road (AVUS) in south-west Berlin. Conceived as a race track, it was designed as the first road to be open exclusively to motor cars. Work began in 1913, but it was not completed until after the First World War. The route consisted of two eight-kilometre stretches with turning loops at both ends, so that a complete lap measured 19 kilometres. The first motor car race was run in 1921. The track could also be used privately outside of race times for a fee of ten marks.

The first “German Grand Prix” was held on the AVUS in 1926. Unfortunately, poor weather conditions and an uneven surface led to four fatalities. The following year, the German Grand Prix was relocated to the newly built Nürburgring (in today’s Rhineland-Palatinate). The AVUS remained a racing and testing facility until 1940, when it was integrated into the German motorway system. The original grandstand has been restored and is a listed building.