 Circuit Ricardo Tormo
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| Circuit Details | ||
| Name | Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo | |
| Location |  Cheste, Valencia, Spain
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| Length | 3.376 km (2.098 mi) | |
| Corners | 15 | |
| First Race | 2021 Valencia E-Prix I
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| Last Race | 2021 Valencia E-Prix II
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| Circuit Records | ||
| Fastest Lap | Qualifying | Race |
| 1:30.263 | 1:26.522 | 1 |
 Alex Lynn
|
 António Félix da Costa
|
 Nyck de Vries
|
The Circuit Ricardo Tormo, otherwise officially known as the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo, is a Spanish racing circuit, located near the city of Valencia.[1] Also known the Circuit de Valencia, but named for famed Spanish MotoGP Champion Ricardo Tormo, the circuit became the official host of the annual Pre-Season collective test ahead of the 2017/18 season.[2]
The Circuit Ricardo Tormo was subsequently selected to host two E-Prix during the 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, with a modified version of the Nation Circuit hosting the inaugural Valencia E-Prix on 24 April 2021.[3]
History[]
The Circuit Ricardo Tormo is one of the newer circuits in the Motorsport world, having officially opened on the 19th September 1999.[1] Originally built to host MotoGP, and named in honour of Spain's greatest motorcyclist Ricardo Tormo, the Circuit de Valencia has since grown to be one of Spain's biggest sporting venues.[1]
Bikes and Beyond[]
Having been built in a near-natural amphitheatre, the Circuit Ricardo Tormo quickly became notable for the fact that everyone of its 65,000 grand stand seats could see the entire circuit.[1] Further expansions to the seating have seen the capacity rise to over 120,000, while warm winter temperatures mean that, according to the owners, the circuit could be used for 95% of the year.[1] To cement this, the organisers have secured a long-term contract with MotoGP, and have hosted the final race of every season since 2002.[1]
The circuit would quickly become a favourite for Formula One teams too, with frequent visits to the circuit made in the early 2000s for winter testing.[1] When private testing was largely outlawed from F1, the circuit survived, picking up contracts for major series such as GT1, Formula 3 and the DTM, although the circuit continued to be dominated by the motorcycle calendar.[1] A solitary visit by the ELMS was also made, while the World Touring Car Championship had a relatively long stay in the mid to late 2000s.[1]
Formula E History[]
Donington Park had been established as the Formula E headquarters in 2014, and had been used as the testing centre for the series across all three seasons.[4] However, a desire from the teams to test in warmer climates, on a circuit closer to one typically used during the season, saw the FIA agree to move the series' only pre-season test.[2] The swap to the Circuit Ricardo Tormo would be announced in September 2017, with the first Valencia Test to be held on the 2nd to the 5th October, 2017.[2]
Circuit History[]
The ten Formula E teams in 2017/18 agreed to use the "National" circuit at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, with a chicane added to the start/finish straight to better reflect a typical street circuit.[2]
Circuit Layout[]
The addition of a chicane to the main start/finish straight would allow the FE cars to charge their batteries on the brakes, before sweeping into the original turn one "Aspar". A blast up to the hairpin "Doohan" follows, before a kink leads the cars into the 90° "Nico Terol".
Two long apex turns follow, with another kink bringing the cars into the shortcut that forms the National Circuit. A long chicane forms the shortcut, before the cars rejoin the full circuit half way around the 180° turn 13, which tightens into the final turn, "Adrián Campos".
E-Prix Update 2021[]
Ahead of the Circuit Ricardo Tormo's debut as an official E-Prix circuit the circuit layout was modified to both adapt the circuit more towards FE's needs, but also to make it different from the circuit used during testing.[5] To achieve this a service road was used to link turn eight on the full circuit to the final sector, creating a tight hairpin corner that became turn nine, followed by another sharp right of turn ten.[5] The drivers would then exit the final corner before entering a right-left chicane, which then eased back onto the start/finish straight.[5]
Records[]
A full list of records for the Circuit Ricardo Tormo are outlined below, including a list of race winners.
Winners[]
Below is a list of all of the winners of E-Prix held at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo:
| Circuit Ricardo Tormo Winners List | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Event | Date | Winner | Report |
| 2020/21 | 2021 DHL Valencia E-Prix I[6]
|
24 April 2021[3] | Nyck de Vries[7]
|
Report |
| 2020/21 | 2021 DHL Valencia E-Prix II[6]
|
25 April 2021[8] | Jake Dennis[9]
|
Report |
Race-by-Race Records[]
The race-by-race records for the Circuit Ricardo Tormo are outlined below:
| Circuit Ricardo Tormo Race-by-Race Records | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit Ricardo Tormo - 3.376 km (2021) | ||||||
| Event | Qualifying | Fastest Lap | Winner | |||
| Driver | Time | Driver | Time | Driver | Time | |
| 2021 DHL Valencia E-Prix I | Antonio Felix da Costa
|
1:26.522 | Robin Frijns
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1:39.611 | Nyck de Vries
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48:20.547 |
| 2021 DHL Valencia E-Prix II | Jake Dennis
|
1:28.548 | Alex Lynn
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1:30.263 | Jake Dennis
|
46:32.002 |
Test Records[]
Outlined below are the circuit records for test that have been staged at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo:
| Circuit Ricardo Tormo Circuit Records | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit Ricardo Tormo National Circuit - 3.094 km (2017) | |||||
| Season | Test | Date | Driver | Time | Report |
| 2017/18 | 2017 Valencia Test
|
2 - 5 October 2017[2] | Oliver Turvey[10]
|
1:21.822 | Report |
| 2018/19 | 2018 Valencia Test
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16 - 19 October 2018[11] | António Félix da Costa[12]
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1:16.977 | Report |
| Circuit Ricardo Tormo National Circuit - 3.090 km (2019) | |||||
| Season | Test | Date | Driver | Time | Report |
| 2019/20 | 2019 Valencia Test
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15 - 18 October 2019[13] |  Maximilian Günther[14]
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1:15.087 | Report |
| Circuit Ricardo Tormo National Circuit - 3.138 km (2020) | |||||
| Season | Test | Date | Driver | Time | Report |
| 2020/21 | 2020 Valencia Test
|
28 November - 1 December 2020[15] | Maximilian Günther[16]
|
1:11.760 | Report |
References[]
Videos and Images:
References:
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 'Circuit Ricardo Tormo: History', circuitvalencia.com, (Circuit Valencia, 2017), http://www.circuitvalencia.com/history/?lang=en, (Accessed 22/09/2017)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 'Valencia pre-season test dates confirmed', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 11/09/2017), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2017/september/valencia-pre-season-test-dates-confirmed/, (Accessed 11/09/2017)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 'Second set of 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship races announced', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 28/01/2021), https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2021/january/calendar-update-2020-21, (Accessed 28/01/2021)
- ↑ 'Formula-e to build new headquarters at Donington Park', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 23/01/2014), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2014/january/formula-e-to-build-new-headquarters-at-donington-park.aspx, (Accessed 23/04/2015)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Sam Smith, 'FORMULA E’S VERSION OF VALENCIA TRACK LAYOUT REVEALED', the-race.com, (The Race, 02/04/2021), https://the-race.com/formula-e/formula-es-version-of-valencia-track-layout-revealed/, (Accessed 17/04/2021)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 'DHL becomes Race Title Partner for the 2021 DHL Valencia E-Prix', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 16/04/2021), https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2021/april/dhl-valencia-e-prix, (Accessed 17/04/2021)
- ↑ 'Mercedes-EQ's Nyck de Vries wins crazy DHL Valencia E-Prix Round 5, fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 24/04/2021), https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2021/april/valencia-e-prix-round-5-report-de-vries, (Accessed 24/04/2021)
- ↑ 'CALENDAR UPDATE: 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 26/03/2021), https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2021/march/season-7-calendar-update, (Accessed 27/03/2021)
- ↑ 'Jake Dennis takes maiden win with perfectly judged lights-to-flag drive in the DHL Valencia E-Prix Round 6', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 25/04/2021), https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2021/april/valencia-e-prix-round-6-report, (Accessed 25/04/2021)
- ↑ 'Turvey finishes pre-season testing on top', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 05/10/2017), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2017/october/turvey-finishes-pre-season-testing-on-top/, (Accessed 05/10/2017)
- ↑ 'Dates revealed and doors open to the public for Valencia pre-season testing', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 22/08/2018), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2018/august/dates-revealed-and-doors-open-to-the-public-for-valencia-pre-season-testing/, (Accessed 23/08/2018)
- ↑ 'BMW fastest again with da Costa toping the timesheets', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 17/10/2018), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2018/october/bmw-fastest-again-with-da-costa-toping-the-timesheets/, (Accessed 19/10/2018)
- ↑ Alex Kalinauckas, 'Valencia to continue as Formula E pre-season test venue', motorsport.com, (Motorsport Network, 02/09/2019), https://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/news/valencia-pre-season-testing/4527885/, (Accessed 02/09/2019)
- ↑ Sam Smith, 'Formula E: Guenther Sets Fastest Lap of Valencia Testing', e-racing365.com, (John Dagys Media, LLC., 18/10/2019), https://e-racing365.com/formula-e/guenther-sets-fastest-lap-of-valencia-testing/, (Accessed 22/10/2019)
- ↑ Sam Smith, 'FORMULA E COMMITS TO VALENCIA PRE-SEASON TEST DATES', the-race.com, (The Race, 02/10/2020), https://the-race.com/formula-e/formula-e-commits-to-test-at-valencia/, (Accessed 02/10/2020)
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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