San Sebastián Grand Prix 1935

XI Circuito Automovilista – September 22, 1935

San Sebastián (Donostia), Spanish Basque Country
Lasarte road circuit (approximately 17.3 km layout)

Date

Sunday, September 22, 1935

Official Title

Gran Premio de España – X Circuito Automovilista de San Sebastián

Historical Context

Founded in 1923, the San Sebastián Grand Prix was one of the most prestigious motor racing events on the Iberian Peninsula during the interwar period. Held on the spectacular Lasarte road circuit, it regularly attracted Europe’s leading racing teams.

The 1935 edition took place during the great era of the German “Silver Arrows,” dominated by Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union, competing against Italian manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo.

On the eve of the Spanish Civil War (1936), this race represented one of the last major international motor racing events organized in Spain before competition was interrupted.

Race Result

Winner: Luigi Fagioli
Car: Mercedes-Benz W25

Average speed: approximately 135 km/h (according to contemporary sources)
Distance: nearly 510 km (30 laps)

Fagioli prevailed after a demanding race on this fast and undulating circuit, confirming German technical dominance in the 1935 European Championship.

The Lasarte Circuit

Length: approximately 17.3 km

A winding road course alternating long straights and fast curves

Spectacular scenery between ocean, hills, and seaside architecture

One of the fastest and most prestigious European road circuits of the 1920s–1930s

The Official Poster (1935)

The illustrated poster (attributed to Maxime Viejo Santamarta – Gómez Acebo) is emblematic of late Art Deco style:

Dynamic, plunging composition

Helmeted driver with chrome goggles

Coral red / ocean blue color palette

Stylized depiction of the Basque coastline and La Concha Bay

Bold, geometric typography (“SAN SEBASTIAN” in large black capitals)

It perfectly illustrates the modernist aesthetic and the fascination with speed characteristic of the 1930s.

Historical Significance

11th edition of the San Sebastián Grand Prix

Part of the 1935 European racing season

One of the final great moments of the Lasarte circuit

A testament to the golden age of pre-war Grand Prix racing

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