The idea of a motor race in the centre of Birmingham – England's second city – was mooted in local council meetings as far back as 1966.

The circuit was laid out on closed streets near the city centre, and the meeting was scheduled for two days during the August Bank Holiday.

When he exited the Bristol Street Motors Bend on the 21st lap, he lost it and crashed into Alain Ferté's stationary car, blocking part of the track, with Pérez-Sala still fighting for the win from a fast catching up Martini.

Modena made it his second win of the season, while Moreno took second after his pressure had caused Andy Wallace to make a driving error at the Ferodo Corner.

The F3000 race at the Birmingham Superprix, held on 27 and 28 August, was just as sunny as the two previous ones, there was a carnival atmosphere.

As in the F3000 race, the polesitter retired – in this case it was Robb Gravett, who experienced an engine failure after 10 laps.

This continued as an undulating and slightly curved straight for around 650 m (710 yd) until the cars arrived at the Haden Circus roundabout, named Halfords Corner after the title sponsor.

Here, a large proportion of the centre of the roundabout island had been flattened and surfaced with tarmac forming a broad pan, reducing the radius of the hairpin corner significantly, but the slightly dished profile of the roundabout itself remained resulting in a significant hump as cars entered the corner's braking zone.

Following the hairpin, cars raced back along the opposite, northern side of Belgrave Middleway and took a sharp left-right kink up the opposing slip road that returned them to the interchange roundabout.

This continued for a little over half a kilometre to an open, fast, left hand bend on to Pershore Street.

This short, 190 m (210 yd) straight led to a tight, 90-degree left hand corner on to Bromsgrove Street.

Bromsgrove Street straight then headed southwest for approximately 370 m (400 yd) to a slight right hand kink into a narrow bridge across a pedestrian underpass, which then emerged through a tight left turn immediately back on to the broad expanse of the Bristol Street start-finish straight.