View source for Ain-Diab Circuit

{{Short description|Motorsport venue in Morocco}}
{{Motorsport venue
| Name          = Ain-Diab Circuit 
| Location      = [[Ain-Diab]], [[Casablanca-Settat]], [[Morocco]]
| Time          = [[GMT]]
| Coordinates   = {{Coord|33|34|43|N|7|41|15|W|display=inline,title|type:landmark_source:ruwiki}}
| Image         = [[File:Ain-Diab.svg|250px]]
| Image_caption = Grand Prix Circuit (1957–1958)
| Events        = [[Formula One]]<br />''[[Moroccan Grand Prix]]'' (1958)
| Layout1       = Grand Prix Circuit (1957–1958)
| Opened        = 1957
| Closed        = 1958
| Length_km     = 7.603
| Length_mi     = 4.724
| Turns         = 18
| Record_time   = 2:22.5
| Record_driver = {{flagicon|UK}} [[Stirling Moss]] 
| Record_car    = [[Vanwall Grand Prix|Vanwall VW 5]] 
| Record_year   = [[1958 Moroccan Grand Prix|1958]]<ref name = "motor sport magazine">{{cite web |title=Ain Diab - Motor Sport Magazine |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/circuits/ain-diab |website=[[Motor Sport (magazine)|Motor Sport Magazine]] |access-date=18 September 2018}}</ref>
| Record_class  = [[Formula One|F1]]
}}

The '''Ain-Diab Circuit''' ({{langx|ar|دارة عين الذئاب|Dārat A'ayn a-Thia'āb}}) was a [[Formula One]] road circuit built in 1957, southwest of [[Ain-Diab]] in [[Morocco]], using the existing coast road and the main road from [[Casablanca]] to [[Azemmour]] that ran through the Sidi Abderrahman forest.<ref name = "motor sport magazine"/> Prior to 1957, the [[Anfa Circuit]] and the [[Agadir]] circuit were used for the [[Moroccan Grand Prix]].

The {{convert|4.724|mi|km|abbr=on}} course was designed by the Royal Automobile Club of Morocco and given a full blessing from [[Mohammed V of Morocco|Sultan Mohammed V]].<ref name = "motor sport magazine"/> It took six weeks to construct.<ref name = "motor sport magazine"/><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=All Formula One Info - Ain Diab Circuit |url=http://www.allf1.info/tracks/aindiab.php |website=All Formula One Info|access-date=18 September 2018}}</ref> The site hosted a non-championship [[Formula One|F1]] race in [[1957 Moroccan Grand Prix|1957]].<ref name = "gp57">{{Cite web |title=1957 Moroccan Grand Prix |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/races/1957-moroccan-grand-prix |website=[[Motor Sport (magazine)|Motor Sport Magazine]] |date=27 October 1957 |access-date=18 September 2018}}</ref> On 19 October 1958 the course was the venue for the [[1958 Moroccan Grand Prix]],<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Ain Diab Track Info |url=http://www.silhouet.com/motorsport/tracks/aindiab.html |website=Silhouet |access-date=18 September 2018}}</ref> the final round in the [[1958 Formula One season]].<ref name = "gp58"/> It was won by [[Stirling Moss]] driving a [[Vanwall]],<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Moroccan Grand Prix |url=http://theracingline.net/racingcircuits/Morocco/_gp.html |website=theracingline.net |access-date=18 September 2018}}</ref> completing the 53 laps in 2h 09m 15.1s.<ref name = "gp58">{{Cite web |title=1958 Moroccan Grand Prix |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/races/1958-moroccan-grand-prix |website=[[Motor Sport (magazine)|Motor Sport Magazine]] |date=19 October 1958 |access-date=18 September 2018}}</ref> [[Mike Hawthorn]] driving a [[Ferrari 246 F1|Ferrari 246]] 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]] seized and the car spun and crashed. He was fatally burned,<ref name="motor sport magazine" /><ref name=":1" /> dying in hospital in England eight days later.<ref>{{cite news |title=The drama, pride and tragedy of F1's last Moroccan Grand Prix |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/africa/51658391 |publisher=BBC News |date=27 February 2020 |access-date=3 January 2025}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Racing-Reference track|Ain_Diab}}
* [https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Casablanca,+Morocco&ie=UTF8&z=14&ll=33.578372,-7.690945&spn=0.033752,0.086517&t=k&om=1 Satellite picture by Google Maps]

{{Formula One circuits}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sport in Casablanca]]
[[Category:Moroccan Grand Prix]]
[[Category:Formula One circuits]]
[[Category:Motorsport venues in Morocco]]
[[Category:Defunct motorsport venues in Morocco]]
[[Category:Pre-World Championship Grand Prix circuits|Ain-Diab]]

{{Morocco-sports-venue-stub}}