Formula 1 European Grand Prix Facts

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Important Facts

 

• Valencia Grand Prix or European Grand Prix is a 4.1 and 4.3 km long circuit

• The circuit will take place on closed roads, similar to Monaco, and would help to feed the popularity of motor racing in the country

• The Valencia race track circuit Valencia signed a seven-year contract with FiA in order to stage the race for the next 7 years.

• Valencia paid an estimated 26 milion Euros or 17.5 million British Pounds in order to host the race

• For the 2008 Formula One Calendar, Spain will host two major races one in Barcelona followed by the new one in Valencia.

 

The event was initially created as stopgap. The European Grand Prix event was held during the mid-80's and has been held mostly regularly since 1993.

Brands Hatch was unable to host the European Grand Prix in 1984, as it was hosting the British Grand Prix in even numbered years. Brands Hatch returned to host the European Grand Prix in 1985, but the race was replaced in 1986 by the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The European race was held in Jerez the following season, and then returned to Nürburgring, which was now popular again with drivers. But after complaints that no other countries were to get the race, the Nürburgring race was renamed the Luxembourg Grand Prix. Jerez got the race back in 1997 as a replacement for the Portuguese Grand Prix. Jerez hosted the season finale that same year, it became the site of the famous incident between Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve and it was also the scene of Mika Häkkinen's first Formula One victory.

In 1998, the European Grand Prix was dropped from the schedule, but returned in 1999 when the race at Nürburgring re-adopted the European Grand Prix name. The Grand Prix remained there since.

Until 2006 the race was held at the Nürburgring, but on August 29, 2006 it was announced that it had been removed from the F1 calendar for the 2007 season. Instead the Belgium Grand Prix will be held the Spa-Francorchamps circuit situated in South-East Belgium. Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps circuit is among the most historic on the Formula One calendar, remaining one of the most popular venues despite the weather being notoriously changeable in one single race. Also, the circuit’s Eau Rouge with its high speed and sudden elevation change, maintains the reputation of F1's most technically challenging corners.

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