Circuito de Jerez
Jerez de la Frontera, Spain · 7 races held
Race History
| Year | Grand Prix | Winner | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | European Grand Prix | Mika Häkkinen | McLaren |
| 1994 | European Grand Prix | Michael Schumacher | Benetton |
| 1990 | Spanish Grand Prix | Alain Prost | Ferrari |
| 1989 | Spanish Grand Prix | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| 1988 | Spanish Grand Prix | Alain Prost | McLaren |
| 1987 | Spanish Grand Prix | Nigel Mansell | Williams |
| 1986 | Spanish Grand Prix | Ayrton Senna | Team Lotus |
About Circuito de Jerez
Built in the sherry-producing region of Andalusia and opened in 1985, the Circuito de Jerez quickly became a fixture of the Formula 1 calendar. Located near Jerez de la Frontera in southern Spain, the circuit hosted the Spanish Grand Prix for most of the late 1980s before later staging the European Grand Prix when other Spanish venues took over the national race.
Jerez held seven World Championship rounds between 1986 and 1997. After the rise of the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, which took over the Spanish Grand Prix from 1991, Jerez kept a place on the calendar under the European banner, returning for a single dramatic running in 1994 and again in 1997. Since dropping off the F1 schedule, the venue has remained an important winter testing base and a long-time host of motorcycle Grand Prix racing.
Memorable Moments
- 1986: Ayrton Senna beat Nigel Mansell to the line by just 0.014 seconds, one of the closest finishes in Formula 1 history after a flat-out drag to the flag.
- 1990: Alain Prost won for Ferrari, but the weekend was overshadowed by a heavy practice crash for Martin Donnelly that ended his F1 career.
- 1994: Michael Schumacher dominated the European Grand Prix for Benetton during his first title-winning campaign.
- 1997: The infamous title-deciding collision saw Michael Schumacher turn into Jacques Villeneuve; the Williams driver survived to take the championship while Mika Häkkinen scored his maiden win.
Track Character
Jerez is a technical, medium-speed circuit defined by a sequence of tight, rhythmic corners that reward chassis balance and traction over outright power. Its narrow ribbon and limited run-off historically made overtaking difficult, placing a premium on qualifying position and tyre management. The combination of demanding corner sequences and an abrasive surface in warm Andalusian conditions has long made it a favourite for testing, where teams can evaluate aerodynamic and mechanical setups across a representative variety of corner types.