Valencia Street Circuit
Valencia, Spain · 5 races held
Race History
| Year | Grand Prix | Winner | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | European Grand Prix | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari |
| 2011 | European Grand Prix | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull |
| 2010 | European Grand Prix | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull |
| 2009 | European Grand Prix | Rubens Barrichello | Brawn |
| 2008 | European Grand Prix | Felipe Massa | Ferrari |
About Valencia Street Circuit
The Valencia Street Circuit was a temporary track laid out around the harbour of the Spanish port city, making use of the docklands developed for the America's Cup sailing event. It hosted the European Grand Prix every year from 2008 to 2012, running alongside Spain's other round at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Despite a dramatic waterside setting that included a swing bridge over the marina, Valencia quickly gained a reputation as one of the more processional venues on the calendar. Its tight, wall-lined layout offered few overtaking opportunities, and several of its races struggled to come alive.
After just five Grands Prix, Valencia lost its place on the schedule when Spain reverted to hosting a single race, ending the city's brief but memorable spell in Formula 1.
Memorable Moments
- 2008: Felipe Massa won the inaugural European Grand Prix at Valencia for Ferrari, a strong result in his closely fought championship campaign that year.
- 2010: Mark Webber was launched into a terrifying airborne crash after clipping the back of Heikki Kovalainen's car at high speed, walking away unharmed from a spectacular accident.
- 2012: Fernando Alonso delighted his home crowd by charging from 11th on the grid to win, in one of Valencia's most thrilling and emotional races.
Track Character
Valencia was a fast street circuit with long straights and a large number of 90-degree corners threading between concrete walls and harbour buildings, including a distinctive run across a swing bridge over the marina. Although the layout allowed high average speeds, the narrow track and limited braking zones made clean overtaking very difficult, which is why so many of its races settled into processions broken only by safety cars or strategy. The unforgiving walls left no room for error, placing a premium on precision and qualifying position, while the sun-drenched waterfront backdrop gave the venue a glamour that its on-track action did not always match.