Jerez

The city of Jerez has always had a close relationship with motor sport and more specifically with motorcycling. Already in the early sixties, Jerez had the Trofeo de la Merced, a highly prestigious international race that saw great motorcycling figures of that time pass by. Drivers of the stature of Ángel Nieto, Ricardo Tormo, Sito Pons, Benjamín Grau, Víctor Palomo or the internationals Marco Lucchinelli, Barry Sheene, Jan de Vries, Borje Jansson competed through the streets of Jerez.

The fruit of this long tradition with the competition would be years later the construction of a modern permanent speed circuit and equipped with facilities that would allow it to host events of the highest level.

Opened in 1985, the Circuito de Jerez quickly became one of the most famous tracks in Europe, as valid tests for the Formula 1, Motorcycling and Sport-prototype world championships were held there.

The works are not finished, without boxes or race control building but with the track already operational, the pilot race takes place on December 8, 1985. It was a scoring event for the Spanish Touring Car Championship and the rain stopped. became the protagonist. Despite the difficulties added by the water, the event was held without problems and confirmed what was expected, that Andalusia was prepared to become a benchmark in the world of motor sports.

Just four months later, Jerez lived its first Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix. And the stars of the Championship wanted this premiere not to be easily forgotten: Senna, driving a Lotus Renault and Mansell, at the controls of the Williams Honda, starred an extremely tight arrival. Only 14 thousandths separated Senna, the eventual winner, from the British Nigel Mansell at the finish line, still today one of the closest differences in the history of the category.

A year later, the first Spanish Motorcycle Grand Prix would be held. Since its first edition, Jerez captivated motorcycle fans, who quickly turned the Andalusian event into an obligatory annual pilgrimage, with the Jerez track currently being one of the most deeply rooted permanent venues in the calendar, in which it has been uninterrupted since 1987 until the present, always offering that special atmosphere that fans know how to appreciate year after year flocking to our city.

In 1992, the Circuito de Jerez undertook its first major remodeling. In order to improve safety, the original chicane disappears, creating a parabolic curve in its place that connects with the second straight line of the route, equal in length to the main one, passing the route to its current length of 4,423 m. In addition, 700 meters of Air Fence are inaugurated, a revolutionary system in the form of air mattresses that replaces straw bales, becoming the Jerez track a pioneer in the adoption of this modern security system that would be gradually incorporated by the rest of the circuits. . In those years, a motocross track was also built inside the facilities that hosted the 125 and 250 cc world championships, as well as the Nations Trophy.

In 1994, a series of circumstances, including the death of the ill-fated Formula One driver, Ayrton Senna in Imola, together with the excessive speed of passage through the linked curves of Criville and Ferrari for F-1 cars, made it necessary to build a a new chicane at that point for the safety of the riders, creating the current Ayrton Senna chicane currently used in all automobile tests and training sessions, while the bikes continue to use the standard 4,423-meter layout.

In 1997, Jerez once again hosted a Formula One Grand Prix, the European Grand Prix, the last scoring event of the season to the delight of all lovers of the motor world. Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve played the Championship. Things are so tight that in official practice three riders are equal in times to one thousandth: Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher and Heinz-Harald Frentzen trace a sensational 1’21?072. In the race, the duel Schumacher versus Villeneuve ended at the Dry Sack curve with an ugly maneuver by the German when he prevented Villeneuve, who had the right place, from overtaking him, impacting both cars, the Ferrari driver who was left on top of the piano being the most affected. with no options to continue, while Villeneuve continued the race to finish third, scoring the world title. The maneuver, seen by all over and over again in television replays, was sanctioned by the FIA ​​with the withdrawal of all the points obtained in the year by Schumacher.

In the spring of that same year, Crivillé beat Mick Doohan in the 500cc, before a roaring crowd, receiving the Grand Prix winner’s trophy from the King of Spain.

The demands in terms of safety in the boxes and pit lane forced us to face, in 2002, a deep remodeling, which included the construction of new boxes and pit-lane, in addition to the viewing platform, commonly called UFO, which is in Currently the flagship of the facility due to its location right on the finish line and with direct vision of many curves of the track. Thanks to this ambitious work, the circuit now has very spacious and excellently equipped boxes, as well as more attractive VIP rooms and a press room prepared to allow more than 300 journalists to carry out their work in the most efficient way. .

In order not to lose its prominent position in the international scene, in 2008 a new remodeling was undertaken. Some run-offs were widened and provided with a paved area, while the entire track was resurfaced with new paving. At present, the circuit continues to evolve to preserve its privileged position in the world of motorsport, carrying out new resurfacing and curb adaptation works between 2017 and 2019 to continue being on pole in terms of facilities in the motor world. Finally, between 2021 and 2023, works will be undertaken to expand the escape areas in turns 7 (already completed), 1, 5, 6 and 10.