Durban street circuit

Durban street circuit

Coordinates: 29°50′17.96″S 31°2′3.77″E / 29.8383222°S 31.0343806°E / -29.8383222; 31.0343806

Durban street circuit
Durban street circuit
Location Durban, South Africa
Time zone UTC +2
Capacity 22,000
Opened January 2006
Major events A1 Grand Prix, GT1 World
Grand Prix Circuit

The Durban street circuit is a 3.283 kilometres (2.0 mi) temporary street circuit located in Durban, South Africa which is 300 metres from Durban's North Beach and 800 metres from Durban's CBD. It was used for the A1 Grand Prix from 2005 to 2008. The A1 Grand Prix race held on this circuit was the first international automobile race held in the country since the 1993 South African Grand Prix.

The 2006 event attracted more than 105,000 spectators to attend the three days event despite only 22,000 was constricted. The event was voted the best round of the 2005–06 A1 Grand Prix season. It was also one of the biggest sports events in Durban's history. Rumors claimed that a future South African Formula One Grand Prix would possibly be raced in the street circuit. However, there are no official sources confirmed that any future South African Grand Prix in the Durban Streets. It was announced on July 21, 2008 that Kyalami would host the South African round of the 2008-09 A1 Grand Prix season instead of the Durban street circuit.[1]

In 2010 the Durban street circuit was to host a round of the new FIA GT1 World Championship. However, following delays in completing alterations to the Durban street circuit due to construction for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the South African round was postponed until 2011. A Spanish event at the brand new Circuito de Navarra was proposed as a replacement for Durban on the calendar,[2] and was confirmed at the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting of 24 October.[3]

The circuit

The 3.3 km temporary street circuit incorporates long fast straights along NMR Ave, and Suncoast Boulevard, a slow hairpin on Snell Parade and a challenging chicane through Argyle and Brickhill Roads.[4]

It has with 9 corners and 5 straights - the longest straight is 700m long. The Durban Street Circuit was heavily constrained by the location of the streets and the locations of the grandstands with seating for 22,000 was constructed in the 2006 event.

References

  1. ^ "South Africa race to be in Gauteng". a1gp.com. 2008-07-21. http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?newsId=41771. Retrieved 2009-01-18. 
  2. ^ "GT1 global expansion continues". FIA GT1 World Championship. SRO Group. 2010-07-30. http://www.gt1world.com/news/article/gt1-global-expansion-continues-. Retrieved 2010-07-30. 
  3. ^ "World Motor Sport Council 08/09/2010". fia.com. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 2010-09-08. http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/wmsc/2010/Pages/wmsc_080910.aspx. Retrieved 2010-09-08. 
  4. ^ www.d3motorsport.com


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