Circuit Ricardo Tormo
Circuit Ricardo Tormo, also known as Circuit de Valencia and officially named Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo, is a 4.005 km (2.489 mi) motorsport race track located in Cheste (Valencian Community, Spain) and built in 1999. The track is named after Spanish, two-time world champion Grand Prix motorcycle racer Ricardo Tormo (1952–1998), who died in 1998 of leukemia. It has a capacity of 165,000 and a main straight of 0.876 km (0.544 mi).
Layout of the Grand Prix Circuit | |
Location | Cheste, Valencian Community, Spain |
---|---|
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) CEST (DST) |
Coordinates | 39°29′9″N 0°37′41″W |
Capacity | 165,000 (125,000 seating) |
FIA Grade | 1 (GP) 2 (External) 3E (Formula E) |
Broke ground | 1998 |
Opened | 19 September 1999 |
Major events | Current: Grand Prix motorcycle racing Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix (1999–present) European motorcycle Grand Prix (2020) GT World Challenge Europe (2021–2023) Former: Formula E Valencia ePrix (2021) WTCC Race of Spain (2005–2012) DTM (2010–2012) World SBK (2000–2010) Le Mans Series (2007) |
Website | www |
Grand Prix Circuit (1999–present) | |
Length | 4.005 km (2.488 miles) |
Turns | 14 |
Race lap record | 1:21.244 ( Andreas Zuber, Dallara GP2/05, 2006, GP2) |
Formula E Circuit (2021) | |
Length | 3.376 km (2.098 miles) |
Turns | 15 |
Race lap record | 1:30.081 ( Alexander Sims, Mahindra M7Electro, 2021, Formula E) |
External Circuit (1999–present) | |
Length | 3.036 km (1.886 miles) |
Turns | 11 |
School Circuit (1999–present) | |
Length | 1.300 km (0.808 miles) |
Turns | 7 |
The track hosts the MotoGP Valencian Community Grand Prix. Also, the FIA GT Championship had a race there in 2000 and 2004, the World Touring Car Championship from 2005 to 2012, the European Le Mans Series in 2007, and the DTM from 2010 to 2012. It has also been Formula E's pre-season test venue since the 2017–18 season, having moved from Donington Park, with the circuit also considered a replacement venue for the 2019–20 season because of the COVID-19 crisis cancelling numerous rounds. It was also the GP3 Series (now FIA Formula 3 Championship) pre-season test venue until the 2017 season. The series also hosted a one-off event at the track in 2013. The GP2 Series (now FIA Formula 2 Championship) also held rounds at the track in 2006 and 2007. Valencia has also hosted the season-opening round of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series since 2014. The circuit will also host the third edition of FIA Motorsport Games in October 2024.[1]
Formula E
The circuit has been used by Formula E as a pre-season testing venue since 2017. On 28 January 2021, it was announced that the circuit would host the Valencia ePrix as the 5th and 6th round of the 2020–21 Formula E World Championship, to be held on 24 April 2021, replacing the cancelled Paris ePrix. It was the first time an ePrix has been held on a permanent race circuit, albeit on a unique configuration.[2] One of the differences between the normal track for pre-season testing and the track used for the race was the installation of a temporary chicane in the start/finish straight. The track then turns right immediately after the exit of turn 8.
In other media
The track has been recreated in the videogames Tourist Trophy and Gran Turismo PSP. The track also appears in other video games like Alfa Romeo Racing Italiano, GTR Evolution and rFactor as well. As it is a MotoGP round host, the track has appeared in every MotoGP game since its début in 1999. The track apperead as well in MotoGP 20, and the SBK games during 2006–2013. The latest recreation of the track was in Assetto Corsa Competizione in 2023.
Layout configurations
- Grand Prix Circuit (1999–present)
- Grand Prix Circuit Proposal (2006)
- Formula E Pre-Season Testing Circuit (2018–2019)[3]
- Formula E Circuit (2021–present)
Events
Current
- January: Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe
- February: Formula Winter Series, GT Winter Series
- March: Ferrari Challenge Europe
- May: NASCAR Whelen Euro Series NASCAR GP Spain – Valencia NASCAR Fest, F1 Academy, FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship, FIM CEV Moto2 European Championship, European Talent Cup, Campeonato de España de Superbike
- September: GT World Challenge Europe, GT2 European Series, Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe, Renault Clio Cup Europe, Campeonato de España de Resistencia
- October: Eurocup-3, F4 Spanish Championship
- November: Grand Prix motorcycle racing Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix, FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship, FIM CEV Moto2 European Championship, European Talent Cup
Future
- FIA Motorsport Games (2024)
Former
- Auto GP (2001, 2008–2009, 2011–2012)
- Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (2010–2012)
- European Touring Car Championship (2004)
- European Truck Racing Championship (2000–2001, 2015)
- FIA GT Championship (2000, 2004)
- Formula 3 Euro Series (2010–2012)
- Formula E Valencia ePrix (2021)
- Formula Regional European Championship (2021)
- Formula Renault Eurocup (2004–2005)
- French F4 Championship (2022)
- GP2 Series (2006–2007)
- GP3 Series (2013)
- Grand Prix motorcycle racing European motorcycle Grand Prix (2020)
- International Formula Master (2007–2009)
- International GT Open (2006–2008, 2010)
- Le Mans Series 1000 km Valencia (2007)
- MotoE World Cup Valencia eRace (2019)
- Sidecar World Championship (2000–2003)
- Superbike World Championship (2000–2010)
- TCR International Series (2015)
- Ultimate Cup Series (2019)
- World Touring Car Championship FIA WTCC Race of Spain (2005–2012)
Lap records
Anthony Davidson holds the unofficial lap record, set in 2006 while testing a Honda RA106, with a time of 1:08.540sec.[4] As of October 2023, the fastest official race lap records at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo are listed as:
Notes
References
- "Dates and 26 categories already confirmed for 2024 FIA Motorsport Games". FIA Motorsport Games. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- "Second set of 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship races announced". Formula E. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- "Valencia Testing 16-19 October 2018 Circuit Map V1". Retrieved 30 December 2021.
- "THE AUTOSPORT.COM F1 TESTING CENTRE". www.autosport.com. n.d. Retrieved 16 December 2009.
- "2005 Formula Renault 3.5 Valencia Race 1 Statistics". Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- "2009 Valencia Euro F3000 - Round 8". Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- "2007 European Le Mans Series 1000kms Valencia". Retrieved 28 July 2022.
- "2012 FIA Formula 3 European Championship Valencia Race 2 Statistics". Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- "DTM 2012 » Circuit Ricardo Tormo Round 9 Results". Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- "2023 Eurocup-3 Racing Weekend Valencia Carrera 2 (30 Minutes +1 Lap) Provisional Classification" (PDF). 15 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- "2009 Valencia Formula Master". Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- "2019 Ultimate Cup Series Valencia Challenge Proto 4H Endurance Provisional Classification" (PDF). 28 September 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "2019 Ultimate Cup Series Valencia Challenge Proto - Spain 3H Endurance Final Classification" (PDF). 29 September 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "2023 Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup - Race 1 - Result" (PDF). 16 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- "FIA GT Championship Valencia 2004". Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- "2023 Formula 4 Spain Racing Weekend Valencia Carrera 1 (30 Minutes +1 Lap) Classification" (PDF). 14 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- "2005 Formula Renault 2.0 Euro Valencia Race 2 Statistics". Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- "2023 GT2 European Series Valencia Race 1 Result" (PDF). 16 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- "Campeonato de España de Superbike - 23-24 Octobre 2021 - Carrera 2 SBK" (PDF). 24 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- "2023 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Valencia Race 2 Result" (PDF). 17 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- "2023 Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe Sport Division - Valencia Race 1 (30 Minutes) - Final Classification" (PDF). 21 January 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- "2019 Trofeo Pirelli Valencia Race 1 Final Classification" (PDF). 30 March 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- "Campeonato de España de Superbike - 23-24 Octobre 2021 - Carrera 2 Supersport" (PDF). 24 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- "500 km Valencia 1999". Retrieved 30 November 2022.
- "GT Open Valencia 2008". Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- "Michele Maceratesi". Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- "2020 Valencia Super Speedweek – NASCAR GP Spain Race 2 EuroNASCAR PRO Results" (PDF). 5 December 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
- "TCR ES 2021 » Circuit Ricardo Tormo Round 10 Results". Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- "2004 Valencia ETCC - Round 4". Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- "Cto. ESBK 2023 - May 13th 14th - Carrera 2 SS300 Revisada" (PDF). 14 May 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- "2018 Valencia Renault Clio Cup France Course 2 Résultats". Retrieved 30 July 2023.
External links
- Media related to Circuit de Valencia Ricardo Tormo at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website
- Official Page tickets MotoGp Circuit Comunidad Valenciana
- Trackpedia's guide to driving the Circuit de Valencia