Estoril circuit Portugal

Located on Portugal's Atlantic coast, 18 miles from the capital city Lisbon, the Estoril circuit had its debut in MotoGP track in 2000. This 4.182kms (2.6 miles) circuit is one of the trickiest and slowest tracks on the GP schedule. It combines long, even radius corners with heavy braking zones, bumpy straights and a tricky chicane. The track is made up of four left-hand bends, nine right-handers with a track width of 13 yards and the longest straight stretching 896 yards. Its location means the weather can be unpredictable, but is generally warm and dry.

There are two main grandstands facing the pit lane. Grandstand A gives an unparalleled view of the pit garages while grandstand B gives a better view of the first corner as well as the garages. The grandstands have a terrace at the back, toilets and pay phones. Food services are quite sparse, so taking your own supplies may be a good idea.

The 2005, held in April, saw Alex Barros win in a contest marked by intermittent rain with wet and dry patches on the track making tyre choice difficult for all teams. Valentino Rossi came second to extend his championship lead with Max Biaggi in third place.

The nearest airport is in Lisbon, offering flights to all main destinations in Europe and overseas. From the airport take the IC19 Sintra/Eixo N/S/2a Circular/Sul, and after approx 4.5 miles turn right, taking the IC17/CRIL/Alges/A5 Cascais. Follow signs A5 Cascais, paying toll, and then leave the motorway at exit 10 and follow the directions N9/Sintra/Alcabideche/Autodromo. From Estoril, a regular bus service runs past the main circuit entrance; on race days queues can be rather long. Taxis are usually not too expensive.