Mellaha Lake

Active between 1933 and 1940, Mellaha Lake was a 8.165 mile track situated in a salt basin between Tripoli and Tagiura. The first Mellaha race produced a massive case of race-fixing, when the top drivers conspired with a lottery ticket holder to make sure that Achille Varzi won the race, the prize money being shared. For 1939 the Italian organisers changed to the voiturette class of racing, which was dominated by Alfa Romeo and Maserati, as they were unhappy with the German domination. Mercedes-Benz then built two W165 voiturettes under tight secrecy, and finished first and second.

Lap Record: Hans Stuck (Auto Union C), 3m25.73, 142.88mph, 1937.

Results (Tripoli GP):-

Year Formula Winner                     Car                      mph
1933   GP    Achille Varzi              Bugatti T51             105.086
1934   GP    Achille Varzi              Alfa Romeo Tipo-B "P3"  116.024
1935   GP    Rudolf Caracciola          Mercedes-Benz W25B      123.406
1936   GP    Achille Varzi              Auto Union C            129.412
1937   GP    Hermann Lang               Mercedes-Benz W125      132.440
1938   GP    Hermann Lang               Mercedes-Benz W154      127.840
1939   V     Hermann Lang               Mercedes-Benz W165      123.291
1940   V     Giuseppe Farina            Alfa Romeo 158          128.611