The Idea behind the Revival
In the past Switzerland hosted major international automobile and motorcycle races. The legendary "Grand Prix Bern”, which was staged on the "Bremer” circuit from 1931 to 1939 and 1947 to 1954, was one of the top events in motor racing. After 1955 the Swiss government placed a ban on racing in the light of a tragic accident at Le Mans.
Since summer 1998 the Grand Prix Bern has been revived, however. Once every three years the Bremgarten circuit will belong to the racing cars of yesterday again for one day. The old stars thundered once more in 2001 along the historic Bremgarten track in their old-timers and also this year the circuit will belong again one day to the racing cars - on 19/20 June 2004.

Remembering the Old Times – Racing Cars, Big Names
"Car was the first word I learnt to say. The first word that I learnt to read was Bugatti,” claims Hano Wirz who was born in 1927, the year when his Bugatti 37 was built. "The atmosphere, the roaring engines and everything going on around the revival parade are in keeping with the race back then.” Hano Wirz is not the only person whose memories from the golden days of the Swiss Grand Prix come flooding back:
Over three decades the world’s most famous drivers competed on the Bern circuit. The most victories were chalked up by Rudolf Caracciola for Mercedes (1935, 1937 and 1938), Alberto Ascari for Ferrari (1949 and 1953, 1953 World Champion) and Juan Manuel Fangio (1951 for Alfa Romeo, 1954 for Mercedes Benz). Juan Manuel Fangio was the last person to win a race on Swiss soil with his victory in 1954. He dominated this memorable race in his Mercedes Silberpfeil (Mercedes Benz W196) from the first to the last lap.
The fastest lap record was set in 1936 by Bernd Rosemeyer driving for Auto Union. He drove the 7.28-km circuit in 2’34.5’’ at an average speed of 169.633 km/h.


Motorcycle Grand Prix
The Bern Motorcycle Grand Prix was staged at Bremgarten before the Second World War between 1931 and 1937 and several times between 1947 and 1954 (World Championship in 1949) The Bern track was never altered and thus became reduced to a monotonous high-speed circuit. The drivers valued this, however, and proclaimed the circuit to be the best and most demanding in Europe. The cars required both speed and manoeuvrability and the drivers great skill and determination.
Famous names thrilled the spectators in Bern: Stanley Woods (four times winner 1931-1933), Jimmy Guthrie (double victory in 1937), Cilly and Hans Stärkle (unbeaten from 1931 to 1936 in the 600 sidecar class), Freddy Frith (1949 World Champion in Bern) and Geoff Duke (racing star in the half-litre class during the post-war years with victories in 1952, 1953 and 1954).