JEREZ

For motorcycle riders, Jerez is, along with Assen, the reference. Its thirteen turns give a lot of play when it comes to fine-tuning the mechanics. Its length is 4,423 meters (4,428 with  chicane ) host a variety of low, medium and high speed turns, technically ideal for doing the mechanics work thoroughly as recognized by the large competition teams that have made it an international reference for carrying out pre-season training.

The result of this long tradition with the competition would be, years later, the construction of a modern permanent speed circuit equipped with facilities that would allow it to host top-level tests.

Opened in 1985, the Jerez Circuit quickly became one of the most famous tracks in Europe, hosting races for the Formula 1, Motorcycle, and Sports Prototype World Championships.

Without the works being finished, without pits or a race control building but with the track already operational, the pilot race took place on December 8, 1985. It was a qualifying test for the Spanish Touring Car Championship and the rain became the protagonist. Despite the added difficulties due to the water, the event was held without problems and confirmed what was expected, that Andalusia was prepared to become the reference in the world of motor sports.

Just four months later, Jerez experienced its first Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix. And the stars of the Championship wanted this debut not to be easily forgotten: Senna, driving a Lotus Renault and Mansell, driving the Williams Honda, starred in an extremely tight arrival. Only 14 thousandths of a second 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 present uninterruptedly since 1987 until current events, always offering that special atmosphere that fans appreciate year after year, flocking to our city.

In 1992, the Jerez Circuit underwent its first major remodelling. In order to improve safety, the original chicane disappears, creating a parabolic curve in its place that connects with the second straight of the route of equal length to the main one, passing the route to its current length of 4,423 m. In addition, 700 meters of Air Fence will be inaugurated, a revolutionary system like air mattresses that replaces bales of straw, making the Jerez route 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, among them, 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 the F-1 cars, made it necessary to build a new chicane at that point for the safety of the drivers, creating the current Ayrton Senna chicane currently used in all automotive tests and training, while the motorcycles 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 were playing for the Championship. Things are so tight that in official practice three drivers equal the times to the thousandth: Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher and Heinz-Harald Frentzen have a sensational 1’21?072. In the race, the Schumacher versus Villeneuve duel ends at the Dry Sack curve with an ugly maneuver by the German when he prevented Villeneuve, who had a good place, from overtaking him, impacting both cars, with the Ferrari driver being the most affected, who ended up on the curb. with no options to continue, while Villeneuve continued the race to finish third, scoring the world title. The maneuver, seen by everyone again and again on television replays, was sanctioned by the FIA ​​​​with the withdrawal of all the points obtained that year by Schumacher.

In the spring of that same year, Crivillé won the 500 cc race against Mick Doohan, before a cheering crowd, receiving the Grand Prix winner’s trophy from the King of Spain.

The demands regarding safety in the pits and pit lane made it necessary to undertake, in 2002, a profound remodeling, which included the construction of new pits and pit-lane, in addition to the viewing platform, commonly called UFO, which is currently the flagship of the facility due to its location right on the finish line and with a direct view of many turns of the track. Thanks to this ambitious work, the circuit now has very spacious and excellently equipped pits, 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 arena, in 2008 a new remodeling was undertaken. Some loopholes were expanded and provided with a paved area, while the entire track was resurfaced with new paving. Currently, the circuit continues to evolve to maintain its privileged position in the motor world, carrying out new resurfacing and curb adaptation work between 2017 and 2019 to continue being on pole in terms of facilities in the motor world. Finally, between 2021 and 2023, work will be undertaken to expand the exhaust areas in turns 7 (already completed), 1, 5, 6 and 10.