The circuit included sections designed by noted German architect Hermann Tilke, who also created the new buildings and infrastructure needed and demanded by Formula 1. The track was 3.4 miles long with 25 corners. Drivers were challenged by a mixture of fast, slightly kinked straights, a series of sweeping curves and tight hairpins that demanded heavy braking followed by good traction.
Valencia hosted F1 from 2008-12 but the glory days ended abruptly after a deal for the Spanish Grand Prix to be alternated between Valencia and Barcelona fell through. Finance to support the circuit was no longer forthcoming and the regional government was not prepared to get involved in saving the circuit. It was abandoned and is now a wasteland of demolished buildings, rotting infrastructure, protruding weeds and drifting rubbish – an eyesore still waiting to be redeveloped on what is a piece of extremely valuable land adjacent to the harbour and marina.
Fittingly, the last ever race at Valencia, the 2012 European Grand Prix, was won by Fernando Alonso, one of three victories on his way to finishing runner-up in the F1 World Championship in his Ferrari F2012. Ironically Alonso was also on the podium in Barcelona that year but all the renewed enthusiasm for F1 in Spain was not enough to save the circuit in Valencia.
