CROATIA

The former Yugoslavian Grand Prix was first held in 1969 at Opatija on a street circuit known as the ‘Monaco’ of the Grand Prix motor cycle racing calendar, because of its spectacular views of the Adriatic Sea. From 1969 until 1977 it hosted the Grand Prix, but as the years progressed it became more and more dangerous for modern machinery and, despite its scenic setting, it was an unsafe track due to high speeds on narrow roads coupled with numerous unmovable roadside obstacles, such as trees, stone walls, houses, and the Adriatic Sea itself. During the 1973 season, several teams boycotted the event due to unsafe track conditions and by 1977 the promoters had received an ultimatum from the FIM that if they did not improve the safety of the circuit, the event would be cancelled. Sadly, Giovanni Ziggiotto, and Ulrich Graf were both killed in the 1977 meeting and the tragedies saw the venue scrubbed and the GP move to the Rijeka circuit for 1978. It hosted a Grand Prix for 13 years but, while a technically difficult circuit that provided close racing, its facilities began to fall beyond those of tracks elsewhere and it was finally deleted from the calendar.