The venue for the final round of the season each year since 2002, the Circuit Ricardo Tormo has been the scene of the crowning of 15 World Champions across 3 classes.
The Circuit Ricardo Tormo was inaugurated on September 19th, 1999, the year in which it hosted a World Championship race for the first time.
Between 1999 and 2001, the Valencian Grand Prix was held in September. Since 2002 it has been the last race of the season 15 times, surpassing the previous record of 12 held by Monza (Italy).
It is named after the two-time 50cc World Champion, Ricardo Tormo, who was the first Valencian rider in history to win a title. Tormo was World Champion in 1978 and 1981, and died nine months before the inauguration of the circuit.
The Grand Prix Commission –formed by Dorna, FIM, IRTA and the MSMA constructors’ association– awarded Valencia the Best GP of the Year honour in 2002, 2003 and 2005.
At 4km long, it is the second shortest circuit on the calendar, second only to Sachsenring.
The track has the lowest average speed of the entire season – 157 kilometres per hour.
The stands are inspired by the American ovals: Every corner is visible from any of the 65,000 seats. This only happens at this one track on the calendar.
Dani Pedrosa is the rider with the most victories (six) and podiums (11) at Valencia.
The Repsol Honda rider took his first podium in the World Championship at Valencia, finishing third in the 125cc race in his rookie season (2001), aged just 15 years old.
In 2012, both Marc Márquez–in Moto2– and Dani Pedrosa–in MotoGP– made memorable fightbacks in the rain. Márquez started 33th on the grid due to a penalty incurred during practice but achieved victory. Pedrosa took the start from pitlane due to a change of bike after the warm up lap and also took the win.
This will be the fourth time that the MotoGP title has been decided at Valencia, after 2006 –Nicky Hayden’s lone World Championship–, 2013 –Marc Márquez’s first MotoGP title–, and 2015 –in which Jorge Lorenzo emerged victorious–.
Altogether, 15 riders have won titles at the Valencian GP: Eight in 125cc and Moto3; four in 250cc and Moto2; and three in MotoGP.
In the last eight years, at least one of the three winning riders have been Spanish. Only riders hailing from Spain have been victorious in the premier class since 2011.
During the race weekend it is estimated that up to 100,000 people will pass through the town of Cheste, which has 8,000 inhabitants and is located 8 kilometres away.
The Circuit Ricardo Tormo hosts other competitions such as the Classic & Racing Legends Valencia, NASCAR Fest and the Ferrari Challenge, the FIM CEV Repsol series and the RFME CEV. It also organises the 24 hours Cyclo Circuit bicycle race.
Before the construction of the circuit, Valencia hosted races and at several urban circuits, such as Cullera, Guadassuar, Xàtiva and Gandia.
A year ago, 110,050 spectators came to watch the races on Sunday, the largest influx of any GP that season. 37% of the attendees are from abroad.
Basketball legend Michael Jordan had the chance to ride the Valencian track with a MotoGP bike at the post-Grand Prix test in 2004.
After every race, the winner lights a 140m ‘traca’ at Doohan corner – Turn 2.
