Jerez

Built near the sherry town of Jerez de la Frontera to host the 1986 Spanish Grand Prix, Jerez is a slow circuit with excellent facilities. But it was too far from Spain’s major cities to attract more than a sprinkling of spectators in those pre-Fernando Alonso days. The most demanding section was behind the paddock, with two fast right-handers and little run-off area. It was here that Martin Donnelly crashed in qualifying for the 1990 race, prompting the Grand Prix to be moved to a new home near Barcelona. By the time Jerez hosted the 1994 European GP, a new chicane had been built at the site of Donnelly’s accident. In 1997 Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve clashed at Jerez as the Canadian clinched his only world title with Schumacher subsequently excluded from the championship for deliberately colliding with his rival.