HISTORY OF JEREZ CIRCUIT

The rich racing heritage of Jerez dates back to well before the construction of the modern Circuito de Jerez. Icons like Ángel Nieto and Ricardo Tormo competed on the town's streets, showcasing their talent in urban races. In the early 1980s, plans were set in motion to create a state-of-the-art racing circuit near Jerez, marking a new chapter in the region's motorsport history.

The Circuito de Jerez hosted its first major event in 1986 with a Formula 1 race, featuring one of the closest finishes in history as Ayrton Senna edged out Nigel Mansell by just 14 thousandths of a second. A year later, the circuit welcomed the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix, a tradition that continues uninterrupted to this day.

Jerez also became a key venue for the Superbike World Championship, attracting fans with its thrilling battles and rider accessibility. Over the years, the circuit has undergone several major upgrades. In 2002, it gained its most distinctive feature: the iconic UFO structure above the start/finish straight. This renovation also improved facilities for media and pit crews, making the track more modern and functional.

Today, the circuit is officially named Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto, in honour of Ángel Nieto, Spain's most successful motorcycle racer, who won 13 world championship titles (often humorously referred to as "12+1" due to superstition). The renaming followed Nieto’s untimely death in a quad-bike accident in 2017, cementing his legacy at one of Spain’s most iconic motorsport venues.