Ten Things You Should Know About Valencia

Monday 18th August 2008

The F1 circus heads to the new Valencia circuit this weekend for the European GP and PF1 brings you ten facts about the track that you should know...

1. Valencia is in Spain. Why is this important? Well a while back Bernie Ecclestone dropped the San Marino GP because it was actually held in Italy and he also cancelled one of Germany's two F1 races, stating that no country should hold more than one F1 grand prix. However, on June 1 last year he announced that Spain would be allowed to have two races, the Spanish GP and the European GP at Valencia. Go figure...

2. The deal for Valencia to host a grand prix, though, landed Ecclestone in hot water with the Valencian Electoral Commission. According to reports the deal was conditional on the People's Party winning regional elections on 27 May 2007, prompting Ecclestone to clear up previous comments by stating: "I said I wouldn't formalise a contract until after the elections because I didn't know who I would be signing it with." The Valencian Electoral Commission cleared the F1 supremo of influencing the elections.

3. The Valencia circuit is a street circuit that will run through the roads of the Spanish port city. And like most authentic street circuits the way will be lined with concrete barriers although there are some run-off for safety reasons.

4. However, unlike traditional Formula 1 street circuits, whose tight and twisting configurations place a premium on qualifying at the front, the Valencia track is fast, sweeping and wide, and offers several potential opportunities for passing. From what we've heard, there are three viable overtaking spots on the circuit.

5. The track is 5.4 km long and incorporates a total of 25 turns - 11 right-handers and 14 left-handers.

6. According to McLaren, simulations have estimated a top speed of 200mph at the end of the main straight and an estimated lap time around the 1:37s bracket. With an estimated average speed of 125mph, Valencia should be on a par with a venue such as Bahrain (average speed of 128mph) and far higher than Monte Carlo (94mph).

7. The track was first used in the last weekend of July 2008, as the circuit hosted round of Spanish F3 Championship and International GT Open.

8. Valencia, though, is not the first circuit to play host to the European GP. In fact it's the fifth. Brands Hatch, the Nurburgring, Donington Park and Jerez have all hosted the European GP since its inception in 1983.

9. The last time F1 had a European GP was in 2006 when the Nurburgring hosted the event. It was won by Fernando Alonso

10. This year's European GP at Valencia takes place on August 24th which just so happens to be the day that PF1's editor, Michelle, made her arrival into this world.

Michelle Foster

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