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
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.
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.
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
Asian Le Mans Cup (2027) Asian Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Jerez (2027) Formula Winter Series (2023–2024, 2027) GB3 Championship (2027) GB3 Championship Copa del Sol Series (2027) GT Winter Series (2022–2024, 2027) GT4 Winter Series (2024, 2027)
Former
BPR Global GT Series BPR 4 Hours of Jerez (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 800 km of Jerez (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 September 2026, the fastest official race lap records at the Circuito de Jerez are listed as:
CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEvent 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 Eurocup-3 1:35.728 Keanu Al Azhari Dallara 326 2026 Jerez Eurocup-3 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 2:04.807 Luis Álvarez Toyota GR86 2026 Jerez Toyota GR Cup Spain round 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 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.Ismael Bonilla overleden na crash op Circuito de Jerez Angel Nieto 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.
Notes
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