Repsol YPF
Ruta
Estoril, a demanding circuit
This weekend Estoril will host the third date in the MotoGP Championship, and a massive number of Spanish fans are expected to cheer their heroes on. This is a complicated circuit, full of contrasts and a very bumpy surface. Moreover this season the race in Portugal has changed its date, and this will be noticed above all on the temperatures as the riders are used to higher ones for the Portuguese GP.
The circuit design includes many contrasts: there is one of the longest straights in the World Championship and one of the slowest curves. The track also demands a lot of physical effort and skill. The long straight is preceded by the famous ‘Parabolica’, one of the toughest curves in the calendar.
The Repsol rider, Dani Pedrosa, explains that in Portugal “it is important to have a bike that behaves well when braking and one which maintains a high level of grip on the back wheel during the whole race”. Another of the problems on this track is the state of the asphalt, which according to the leader of the World Championship “is very bumpy and slippery”.
Two novelties stand out at this year`s Portuguese GP; the first is that the race order will be changed. Opening the racing will be the riders in 250cc and then comes the MotoGP battle. The final race will be for the 125cc riders. The second novelty is the change in the date which has moved from October to April, and the consequent change in the ambient temperature. The weather forecast for the day of the rae says that the skies will be clear and the temperature will be around 11º - 18º depending on the time.
Data about the circuit:
Circuit of Estoril
Location: 31.5km. from Lisbon
Year of construction: 1972
Latest modification: 1994
Length: 4 190 metres
Maximum width: 14 metres
Number of curves: 13
> The race in 2007 was like this
.All the statistics in the best search on the Internet
.Highlights from the last race: The Spanish GP
.The classification standings
.Forthcoming races
