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Circuito Guadalope

c/o Automovil Club Circuito Guadalope‎

Avenida de Zaragoza 47-BIS,
44600 Alcañiz, Spain‎

The Circuit Guadalope is located in the town of Alcaniz (Teruel) and takes its name from the river that runs through the town of Alcaniz. The circuit was a temporary street circuit. Races were conducted continuously between 1965 and 2003, except 1980 and 1998.

Porsche is the marque that has won on the most occasions, their name appearing five times in the track records of the test. The Guadalope circuit has always been popular amongst racing drivers and also for the public, who thronged the city of Alcaniz on the weekends when racing came to town. Various sources put the numbers on a bracket that goes between 60000 and 70000 attendees at each Grand Prix.
During the 70s and 80s it became very popular by the evidence of the "National Cup Renault 8 TS", later known "Renault National Cup" with the entry of the Renault 5 TS Renault 5 "Cup". In this circuit racing drivers have challenged the likes of Villamil, Carlos Sainz, Jesus Puras, Luis Perez Sala and Luis Carlos Maurel.
The lap record is held Juan Fernandez, driving an Osella PA9-BMW, who lapped in 1 minute 33.67 seconds, at an average speed of 93.67mph. A famous corner is the so-called "funnel" at the end of the straightaway, for its incredible angle and narrow and hard braking cars need at that point. Other very well remembered curves include "The Monegal", "Bridge", "From the barber shop" "the wayside" and "hospital" as well as the spectacular "Ascent of Cork". In 1992, about the fact that the circuit was the fastest Guadalope of Spain and that their average return in the Touring Car Championship Spain outnumbered fixed installations like Jerez or Montmelo. However, the Spanish Automobile Federation forced the organizers to install two chicanes in turns called "the wayside" and "hospital".

In the late 90s, the Spanish Federation started to obstruct the holding of the Grand Prix City Alcañiz arguing that did not meet the appropriate security conditions, although the circuit had all means of security required by applicable national and international. It was really a political maneuver to justify cutting the construction of a fixed circuit under the name "Motor City" (which became Motorland Aragon). Eventually, the Spanish Federation withdrew the license for the national testing, leaving only regional competitions organized by the Federación Aragonesa. Los ingresos cayeron en picado y en 2004 ya no se pudo celebrar el Gran Premio Ciudad de Alcañiz. Revenues plummeted and in 2004 could no longer hold the Grand Prix City Alcaniz. Thousands of Alcañizanos and motor racing fans from all over Spain arrived Alcañiz led various demonstrations under the slogan "Alcañiz want their careers."
Following the suspension of testing at Guadalope, accelerated construction of the so-called "Motor City", under strong political interests. Finally, the new project was inaugurated in 2009 under the name "Motorland Aragón" and an influx of only about 10,000 people. On 24 and 25 October 2009 was celebrated the "World Series Renault", for which previously had been given all the entries. Despite giving away tickets should attendees reached 20,000, still far from the influx Guadalope Circuit.

Despite the strong political pressure against, various associations and pilots motor world are promoting the implementation of the urban layout again, the image of the city of Pau (France) which has a fixed circuit (Pau Arnos) but once a year organizes the Grand Prix street circuit in Pau. They also argue that the public have no interest in holding national or regional testing if the circuit is not urban, more public support. Among the groups supporting the return to using this circuit, there are two types: Those who support the conclusion of the City of Grand Prix circuit in Alcaniz Guadalope as usual (these the most numerous), and those who think it should only be used classic vehicles for testing. However, although the Circuit Guadalope Motorland and could be complementary, major economic and political interests make it difficult for now the recovery of this historic track.

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