Portugese MotoGP

Situated on the Atlantic coast of Portugal, 28km from capital city Lisbon, the Estoril circuit was used as a MotoGP venue for the first time in 2000. Built in 1972 by Fernanda Pires da Silva the circuit was used mainly for European F2 races in the seventies and after major redevelopment in the early eighties it staged its first Formula 1 Grand Prix in 1984. One of the trickiest tracks on the GP calendar, Estoril combines long, constant radius corners with heavy braking zones, bumpy straights and a difficult chicane which was added to the back section in 1994. Its geographical position means that weather can be unpredictable, althought its generally warm, dry nature makes it a regular choice for IRTA pre-season testing sessions.