Last year we paid a quick visit to the grounds of the former Monsanto 1959 Formula 1 circuit in Lisbon, inspecting what’s left of it and taking some photos of former turns 4 to 8 in the process. This year we went a bit further by walking the main straight, turns 9 and 1 or rather public roads that once constituted the circuit (their configuration remains unchanged to this day!). Various unexpected roundabouts appeared in the middle of the tarmac and a public school now stands where the paddock used to be! No reminder of F1 unfortunately, a terrible shame as Pedro de la Rosa puts it.

Monsanto is obviously a window to another world, a parallel universe, an old dimension… as opposed to the new dimension?! Anyway, it’s a state of mind and you can’t approach it lightly. Using Malevich and his Black Square as a direct analogy, it takes a few different attempts to master the circuit properly. It looks more like a mountain track, more of a hillclimbing attempt that went badly wrong when they sent the cars in the opposite direction! Wonder what it felt like to brake into turn 1 when the road drops so much! Or the amazing descent between turns 8 and 9? A word from the winner would be nice, we’ll try to work it out.

Monsanto Festival of Speed? Now that’s what I’m talking about! Maybe local authorities should give the idea some thought.

Please now take a few seconds to enjoy (hopefully) my photos from Monsanto Park by clicking here.