Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan

Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan
Location Marrakech, Morocco
Major events WTCC, Auto GP
2016 – present
Surface Asphalt
Length 3 km (1.83 mi)
Turns 14
2009 – 2015
Surface Asphalt
Length 4.624 km (2.87 mi)
Turns 15
Lap record 1:28.45 (Narain Karthikeyan, Zele Racing, 2013, Auto GP)

The Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan (also known as Marrakech Street Circuit and Marrakech Racetrack) is a 3 kilometres (1.86 mi) temporary street circuit in Agdal district, Marrakech, Morocco.[1] The circuit is operated by MGP.[2]

History

MGP’s partner in Morocco, D3 Motorsport Development, was given the responsibility of the design of the street circuit. It is the same architect company that designed the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit in Australia.[3] Groupe Menara oversaw the construction on the Route de l'Ourika/Boulevard Mohammed based track.[2] The paddock had been paved alongside the walls of the Royal Garden and more than 2500 concrete impact blocks and many debris fence panels had been put in place to bound the track.[1]

The third round of the 2009 World Touring Car Championship season was held there on 3 May 2009, becoming the first international car race in Morocco since the 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix at the Ain-Diab Circuit in Casablanca and the first event for the WTCC in Africa.[4]

In December 2015 it was announced the circuit would undergo a major overhaul to make it more challenging. Only half of the original circuit will be utilised when the new layout comes into effect from the 2016 WTCC Race of Morocco.[5]

The circuit

The original circuit

The original circuit had a very simple layout. It was a 4.6km flat oval circuit with a hairpin at one end and chicanes punctuating the straights, running in an anticlockwise direction.[6] The new circuit will only be 3km long, with 14 turns and more variance in the style of corners and the like.

Major events

WTCC

Year Race Driver Manufacturer Report
2015 Race 1 Argentina José María López France Citroën Report
Race 2 France Yvan Muller France Citroën
2014 Race 1 Argentina José María López France Citroën Report
Race 2 France Sébastien Loeb France Citroën
2013 Race 1 Denmark Michel Nykjær United States Chevrolet Report
Race 2 Spain Pepe Oriola Spain SEAT
2012 Race 1 Switzerland Alain Menu United States Chevrolet Report
Race 2 France Yvan Muller United States Chevrolet
2011 Not held
2010 Race 1 Italy Gabriele Tarquini Spain SEAT Report
Race 2 United Kingdom Andy Priaulx Germany BMW
2009 Race 1 United Kingdom Robert Huff United States Chevrolet Report
Race 2 Italy Nicola Larini United States Chevrolet

AutoGP

Year Race Driver Team
2014 Race 1 Japan Kimiya Sato Italy Euronova Racing
Race 2 Germany Markus Pommer United Kingdom Super Nova International
2013 Race 1 Italy Sergio Campana Spain Ibiza Racing Team
Race 2 United Kingdom Luciano Bacheta Austria Zele Racing
2012 Race 1 Italy Sergio Campana Italy Team MLR71
Race 2 New Zealand Chris van der Drift Netherlands Manor MP Motorsport

References

  1. 1 2 "NEXT STOP: MARRAKECH, MOROCCO". fiawtcc.com. 2009-04-25. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
  2. 1 2 "Marrackech Racetack Unveiled". fiawtcc.com. n.d. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
  3. ↑ "Marrackech Morocco". formulatwo.com. n.d. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  4. ↑ "Marrackech GP Joins 2009 WTCC Calendar". fiawtcc.com. n.d. Archived from the original on November 14, 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
  5. ↑ "Circuit Moulay El Hassan in Morocco to undergo major facelift". TouringCarTimes. 7 December 2015.
  6. ↑ "Marrackech Morocco". formulatwo.com. n.d. Retrieved 2010-05-10.

External links

Coordinates: 31°35′11″N 7°59′10″W / 31.58639°N 7.98611°W / 31.58639; -7.98611

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