Red marquis at 02:14, 26 October 2010

2010-10-26T02:14:59Z

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{{Motorsport venue|
Name = Circuito de Jerez |
Location = 4 miles north-east of Jerez de la Frontera, Spain |
Time = GMT +1 |
Image = [[Image:Jerez.png]] |
Events = '''[[Formula One]]'''<br> [[Spanish Grand Prix]]<br> [[European Grand Prix]]|
Length_km = 4.428 |
Length_mi = 2.751 |
Turns = 13 |
Record_time = 1:23.135 |
Record_driver = {{flagicon|GER}} [[Heinz-Harald Frentzen]] |
Record_team = [[Williams F1|Williams]] |
Record_year = 1997
}}

'''Circuito de Jerez''' (''Circuit of Jerez''), formerly known as '''Circuito Permanente de Jerez''', is a 4,428 m (2.752-mile) racing circuit located in the city of Jerez de la Frontera, deep within the sherry-producing south of Spain. The project was led by the Spanish engineer Manuel Medina Lara, based on a preliminary idea of Alessandro Rocci.

==Circuit history==

The circuit opened on 8 December 1985. During 1986 the circuit hosted the first international motorcycle event in Spain in March and the [[Formula One]] [[Spanish Grand Prix]] in April. The circuit's remote location hindered significant spectator turnout, although up to 125,000 can be accommodated. Because of this, F1 moved to [[Circuit de Catalunya|Barcelona]] following the [[1991 Spanish Grand Prix|1991 race]].

Due to the hosting of the [[European Grand Prix]] in 1994, the circuit instituted safety changes from the {{F1|1990}} configuration, including a new chicane (the ''Senna'' curve) at the corner where [[Martin Donnelly (racing driver)|Martin Donnelly]] had an appalling accident during qualifying for the [[1990 Spanish Grand Prix]]. Jerez also hosted the [[1997 European Grand Prix]], which was the championship decider between [[Michael Schumacher]] and [[Jacques Villeneuve]], who collided during the race.

During the podium celebrations of the 1997 race, Jerez's Mayor Pedro Pacheco disrupted the podium celebrations by presenting a trophy that was supposed to be presented by a dignitary from Daimler-Benz. This incident resulted on the track being temporarily banned from hosting a Grand Prix<ref>{{cite news |title=Chaves y Pacheco irrumpieron en el podio |url=http://www.elpais.com/articulo/deportes/PACHECO/_PEDRO_/PSA/CHAVES/_MANUEL_/PSOE/CADIZ/JEREZ_DE_LA_FRONTERA_/CADIZ/Chaves/Pacheco/irrumpieron/podio/elpepidep/19971213elpepidep_11/Tes |publisher=Diario El País |accessdate=2008-Jul-02 |date=1997-Dec-13 }}</ref>. It has never hosted another Grand Prix, but remains one of the most popular venues for winter testing.

During 2005, the track was resurfaced. It was expected that the [[Champ Car World Series]] would race there in [[2008 Champ Car World Series season]]<ref>{{cite news |title=CHAMP CAR: 2008 Schedules Confirmed| url=http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/champcar/41439/| publisher=speedtv.com| accessdate=2010-Feb-4|date=2007-Apr-11}}</ref> until the series was cancelled early in the year after merging with the [[IndyCar Series]].

== External links ==
* [http://www.circuitodejerez.com/ Circuito de Jerez official website]
* [http://www.formula1.com/ Formula 1 official website]
* [http://www.motogp.com/ MotoGP official website]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Jerez,+Spain&ie=UTF8&z=15&ll=36.707651,-6.032524&spn=0.016239,0.043259&t=k&om=1 Satellite picture by Google Maps]
* [http://www.AudioTrackGuides.co.uk Audio walkthrough of the track, for use with games]

{{Formula One circuits}}
{{International Formula 3000 circuits}}
{{Superleague Formula circuits}}
{{World Series by Renault circuits}}

[[Category:Formula One circuits]]
[[Category:Spanish Grand Prix]]
[[Category:Motorsport venues in Spain]]

Circuito de Jerez - Revision history

Red marquis at 02:14, 26 October 2010