Switzerland ends 71-year prohibition on circuit racing.

      Switzerland has officially ended its 71-year prohibition on circuit racing, marking the conclusion of one of the most peculiar restrictions in global motorsport. This week, the Swiss government announced that racing on permanent circuits will once again be permitted starting July 1. This ban had been in effect since the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of 83 spectators and driver Pierre Levegh. "It has been decided, under the terms of the amendment... to lift the ban on circuit racing," the official ordinance stated.

      L’Equipe mentioned that Switzerland had been contemplating this decision for several years, with parliamentary discussions beginning in 2010. The new regulations are cautious, rather than an unrestricted reopening. The Italian financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore explained that race permits will now be issued by individual cantons, which must still assess "noise, environmental, and safety impacts" on a case-by-case basis.

      The report further noted that "it is hard to envision an immediate resurgence of major international events or the quick establishment of permanent racetracks." The possibility of a Swiss Grand Prix, they added, remains more of a suggestion than a tangible opportunity at this point. Il Sole pointed out that Switzerland remains "an all-Swiss anomaly," prohibiting circuit racing while hosting significant motorsport operations like the Audi F1 team in Hinwil.

      In 2015, the country partially reopened the possibility of racing by creating a special exemption for electric motorsport, which allowed Formula E events to take place in Zurich and Bern in 2018 and 2019. However, both races ultimately vanished due to logistical challenges, political opposition, and local dissent. "The rules have changed," Il Sole concluded, "but the situation remains largely the same."