Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto (formerly known as Circuito de Jerez and Circuito de Velocidad Jerez) is a racing circuit located close to the city of Jerez de la Frontera, south of Seville and deep within the sherry-producing region in the south of Spain. The project was led by the Spanish engineer Manuel Medina Lara, based on a preliminary idea from Alessandro Rocci.
Circuit history
thumb|left|300px|[[Sebastian Vettel at the 2010 testing sessions, with Red Bull RB6.]]
The circuit opened on 8 December 1985. During 1986 the circuit hosted the first international motorcycle event in Spain in March and the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix in April. The circuit's relatively remote location hindered significant spectator turnout, although up to 125,000 can be accommodated. Because of this, F1 moved to Barcelona following the 1990 race.
In 1992, the track eliminated four corners to create the long right hander Curva Sito Pons. Due to the hosting of the European Grand Prix in 1994, a new chicane was created (the Senna curve) at the corner where Martin Donnelly had a career-ending accident during qualifying for the 1990 Spanish Grand Prix. Jerez also hosted the 1997 European Grand Prix, which was the championship decider between Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve, who collided during the race.
During the podium celebrations of the 1997 race, Jerez's Mayor Pedro Pacheco disrupted the podium celebrations by presenting a trophy that was supposed to be presented by a dignitary from Daimler-Benz. This incident resulted in the track being banned from hosting a Grand Prix ever. It has not hosted another Grand Prix since, but continued to be used for winter testing until 2015.
During 2005, the track was resurfaced. It was expected that the Champ Car World Series would race there in 2008 until the series was cancelled early in the year after merging with the IndyCar Series.
thumb|right|420px|The track during F1 pre-season testing
On 2 May 2013, it was announced that the final corner would be renamed after Spanish then four-time and reigning world champion (250cc - 2006, 2007; MotoGP - 2010, 2012) Jorge Lorenzo.
In 2017, FIA Formula 2 hosted a stand-alone event on October 7 and 8 at the circuit.
On 3 May 2018, the circuit was renamed in honor of the former motorcyclist Ángel Nieto, who died in 2017.
thumb|250px|[[Marc Márquez at the 2016 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix]]
On 3 May 2019, the sixth corner (formerly Curva Dry Sac) was renamed after Dani Pedrosa, retired three-time world champion (125cc - 2003; 250cc - 2004, 2005) and three-time runner-up in the MotoGP class.
Layout history
Events
; Current
- March:
- April: Grand Prix motorcycle racing Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix, Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
- July: FIM Moto3 Junior World Championship, FIM Moto2 European Championship, Moto4 European Cup
- September: Eurocup-3, F4 Spanish Championship,
- October: Superbike World Championship, Supersport World Championship, Sportbike World Championship, FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship
- November: Supercars Endurance Series Jerez Iberian Racing Festival, Campeonato Portugal de Velocidade,
; Future
- Formula Winter Series (2023–2024, 2027)
- GT Winter Series (2022–2024, 2027)
- GT4 Winter Series (2024, 2027)
; Former
- BPR Global GT Series (1995)
- Eurocup-3 Spanish Winter Championship (2025)
- Eurocup-4 Spanish Winter Championship (2025)
- Eurocup Clio (2014)
- Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2014–2015)
- Euroformula Open Championship (2013–2018)
- Euroseries 3000 (2002–2004, 2008)
- Ferrari Challenge Europe (2016, 2024)
- FIA Formula 2 Championship (2017)
- FIM Endurance World Championship (1986–1987)
- FIM Intercontinental Games (2024)
- Formula One
- European Grand Prix (1994, 1997)
- Spanish Grand Prix (1986–1990)
- Formula Renault 2.0 Alps (2014–2015)
- French F4 Championship (2014, 2018)
- GP3 Series (2017)
- Grand Prix motorcycle racing
- Andalusian motorcycle Grand Prix (2020)
- Expo 92 motorcycle Grand Prix (1988)
- International Formula 3000 (1988–1991, 1997)
- International GT Open (2013–2014)
- Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Final (2019, 2024)
- MotoE World Cup
- Spanish eRace (2020–2022)
- Renault Sport Trophy (2015)
- Sidecar World Championship (1987–1988, 1990–1992)
- Superleague Formula
- Superleague Formula round Spain (2008)
- Supersport 300 World Championship (2017, 2019–2021, 2024–2025)
- TCR Europe Touring Car Series (2016)
- TCR Spain Touring Car Championship (2022–2025)
- World Series Formula V8 3.5 (1998–1999, 2004, 2014–2017)
- World Sportscar Championship (1986–1988)
Lap records
The all-time outright track record is 1:15.651, set by Pedro de la Rosa in a McLaren MP4-20, during Formula One testing in April 2005. As of April 2026, the fastest official race lap records at the Circuito de Jerez are listed as:
{| class="wikitable"
!Category!!Time!!Driver!!Vehicle!!Event
|-
! colspan=5 | Grand Prix Circuit (1994–present):
|-
| Formula One || 1:23.135 || Heinz-Harald Frentzen || Williams FW19 || 1997 European Grand Prix
|-
| Formula 2 || 1:29.296 || Nyck de Vries || Dallara GP2/11 || 2017 Jerez Formula 2 round
|-
| Formula Renault 3.5 || 1:30.014 || Pietro Fittipaldi || Dallara T12 || 2017 Jerez Formula V8 round
|-
| Superleague Formula || 1:30.029 || Davide Rigon || Panoz DP09 || 2008 Jerez Superleague Formula round
|-
| GP3 || 1:32.279 || George Russell || Dallara GP3/16 || 2017 Jerez GP3 round
|-
| F3000 || 1:34.669 || Adam Khan || Lola B02/50 || 2008 Jerez Euroseries 3000 round
|-
| Formula Three || 1:35.056 || Marcel Costa || Dallara F300 || 2002 1st Jerez Spanish F3 round
|-
| Formula Nissan || 1:35.365 || Enrique Bernoldi || Dallara SN01 || 2004 Jerez World Series by Nissan round
|-
| Euroformula Open || 1:36.988 || Harrison Scott || Dallara F312 || 2017 Jerez Euroformula Open round
|-
| Formula Regional || 1:37.979 || Kacper Sztuka || Tatuus F3 T-318-EC3 || 2025 Jerez E3 Spanish Winter Championship round
|-
| GT3 || 1:40.714 || Colin Caresani || Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo || 2023 Jerez GT Winter Series round
|-
| Formula Renault 2.0 || 1:41.859 || Nyck de Vries || Tatuus FR2.0/13 || 2014 Jerez Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 round
|-
| Lamborghini Super Trofeo || 1:42.555 || Gerard van der Horst || Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo Evo || 2019 Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Final
|-
| Formula 4 || 1:43.226 || Dilano van 't Hoff || Tatuus F4-T014 || 2021 Jerez F4 Spain round
|-
| Ferrari Challenge || 1:43.697 || Giacomo Altoè || Ferrari 296 Challenge || 2024 Jerez Ferrari Challenge Europe round
|-
| GT2 || 1:44.326 || Miguel Ramos || Ferrari 458 Italia GT || 2011 Jerez Spanish GT round
|-
| Porsche Carrera Cup || 1:46.556|| Hubert Darmetko || Porsche 911 (992 I) GT3 Cup || 2024 Jerez GT Winter Series round
|-
| Renault Sport Trophy || 1:48.311 || Richard Gonda || Renault Sport R.S. 01 || 2015 Jerez Renault Sport Trophy round
|-
| GT1 || 1:49.680 || John Nielsen || McLaren F1 GTR || 1995 BPR 4 Hours of Jerez
|-
| GT4 || 1:50.692 || Jamie Day || Aston Martin Vantage GT4 || 2024 Jerez GT4 Winter Series round
|-
| Formula Renault 1.6 || 1:51.054 || Joey Mawson || Signatech FR 1.6 || 2014 Jerez French F4 round
|-
| TCR Touring Car || 1:52.223 || Mike Halder || Honda Civic Type R TCR (FL5) || 2025 Jerez TCR Spain round
|-
| Renault Clio Cup || 2:01.873 || Alex Royo || Renault Clio R.S. IV || 2017 Jerez Renault Clio Cup Spain round
|-
| Toyota GR Cup || 2:05.770 || Marco Aguilera || Toyota GR86 || 2025 Jerez Toyota GR Cup Spain round
|-
! colspan=5 | Motorcycling Circuit (1992–present):
|-
| MotoGP || 1:37.081 || Álex Márquez || Ducati Desmosedici GP26 || 2026 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix
|-
| World SBK || 1:37.659 || Nicolò Bulega || Ducati Panigale V4 R || 2025 Jerez World SBK round
|-
| Moto2 || 1:39.642 || Senna Agius || Kalex Moto2 || 2025 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix
|-
| World SSP || 1:41.875 || Nicolò Bulega || Ducati Panigale V2 || 2023 Jerez World SSP round
|-
| 250cc || 1:43.338 || Álvaro Bautista || Aprilia RSV 250 || 2009 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix
|-
| 500cc || 1:43.779 || Valentino Rossi || Honda NSR500 || 2001 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix
|-
| Moto3 || 1:44.352 || José Antonio Rueda || KTM RC250GP || 2025 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix
|-
| 125cc || 1:47.075 || Julián Simón || Aprilia RS125R || 2009 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix
|-
| MotoE || 1:47.473 || Eric Granado || Energica Ego Corsa || 2021 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix
|-
| Sportbike || 1:47.688 || Alvaro Fuertes || Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 636 || 2026 Jerez Spanish Sportbike round
|-
| World WCR || 1:51.303 || Paola Ramos || Yamaha YZF-R7 || 2025 Jerez World WCR round
|-
| Supersport 300 || 1:51.713 || Gonzalo Sanchez || Yamaha YZF-R3 || 2024 Jerez Supersport 300 round
|-
! colspan=5 | Original Grand Prix Circuit (1985–1991):
|-
| Formula One || 1:24.513 || Riccardo Patrese || Williams FW13B || 1990 Spanish Grand Prix
|-
| F3000 || 1:34.780 || Éric Bernard || Lola T89/50 || 1989 Jerez F3000 round
|-
| Group C || 1:38.090 || Oscar Larrauri || Porsche 962C || 1986 360 km of Jerez
|-
| 500cc || 1:47.615 || Wayne Rainey || Yamaha YZR500 || 1991 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix
|-
| 250cc || 1:50.002 || Helmut Bradl || Honda NSR250 || 1991 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix
|-
| World SBK || 1:51.850 || Raymond Roche || Ducati 888 SBK || 1990 Jerez World SBK round
|-
| Sidecar (B2A) || 1:52.237 || Steve Webster || Krauser sidecar || 1991 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix
|-
| 125cc || 1:54.038 || Ezio Gianola || Derbi 125 || 1991 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix
|-
| 80cc || 2:03.410 || Stefan Dörflinger || Krauser 80 || 1988 Expo 92 motorcycle Grand Prix
|-
|}
Weather and climate
Jerez racetrack is located near the airport where the city's official weather station is located. The site has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa with mild and rainy winters coupled with hot summers with pronounced drought. As a result, all of Jerez' Formula One and MotoGP races have been held during shoulder seasons when the air temperatures normally are gentler. The current placement of the MotoGP event in early May has reduced rainfall risk compared to the previous April date, as well as raising the likely average temperature by several degrees. Formula One races used to be held in latter parts of the autumn, but were discontinued after 1997.
Jerez used to be a primary winter testing venue for Formula One and remains so for both MotoGP and the Superbike World Championship, in part due to the favourable temperatures in winter mimicking potential conditions during the race season farther north in Europe even in January.
Fatalities
- Dean Berta Viñales, 15, Spanish motorcycle racer, crashed 25 September 2021.
- Ismael Bonilla, 41, Spanish motorcycle racer, crashed 5 July 2020.
- Marcos Garrido, 14, Spanish motorcycle racer, crashed March 2019.
- Nobuyuki Wakai, 25, Japanese motorcycle racer, crashed 1 May 1993.
- Javier Moreno, 21, Spanish motorcycle racer, crashed 1990.