In this modern world of instant adventure where even your accountant neighbour has been scuba-diving with Great White sharks, cutting hot laps around Donington just doesn’t do it anymore. Famous tracks like Jerez and Catalunya be damned - there’s a whole world of unknown circuits just waiting for you to explore.
Imagine the thrill of rocking up to a racetrack you’ve never seen before - not even on your PlayStation. A new experience awaits as you discover each corner for the first time. Club together with your mates and rent a foreign track for a whole day at a fraction of the cost of UK circuits. Better still, since many of these tracks are situated in stunning locations, imagine taking a week off work and riding there as part of a complete biking holiday.
Visordown's alternative track day guide reveals a host of circuits you’ve never heard of and gives you all the contact details you’ll need to set up the track day experience of a lifetime.
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Gotlandring
Gotlandring
Gotland, already Sweden’s number one tourist destination, was recently voted amongst the Top 15 destinations in the world and the number one choice for an island destination. And in 2003 the island became a whole lot more attractive for bikers with the addition of the brand new Gotlandring race track. The first stage of the massive project was completed that year with the opening of the two-mile Northern Loop, but that’s just the start. By 2010-11, a 4.625-mile Southern Loop will be ready for use and by 2012 the Gotlandring will become the longest purpose-built circuit in the world with an overall lap of the long circuit measuring 17.5 miles!
“It’s a small project run with a lot of passion,” says CEO Alec Arho Havrén, whose infectious enthusiasm for the track is impossible to ignore. “The riders who come here love the place because it’s like a mini version of the Nurburgring. I’d never designed a track before but it was great fun, my colleagues and myself walking through the trees working it all out. No track will become legendary if it’s boring and there’s been a real hands-on approach to building this circuit and making it exciting to ride. We have hundreds of Swedish bikers coming here for track days already. In terms of business we don’t need a big racing series here to survive, but it would be great to have World Superbikes in Gotland one day.” Full support for the track comes from the Governess of Gotland, and the plan is to eventually have six major circuits which can all be used independently at the same time. There are off-road courses for motocross and enduro bikes, while car nuts will get everything from rally stages to go-kart circuits from 2009.
The Northern Loop is due to be passed by the FIA for competition in June of this year when the first competitive events will be held. But the circuit is already operational for motorcycle track days, race schools, corporate events and you could be amongst the first to ride this stunning new location. There are bike track days almost every week with prices starting at £45 to ride the circuit on your own bike.
Motorcycle race schools will begin later this year and the circuit organisers hope to have bikes available to rent soon afterwards so you can opt to fly to the circuit and clock up a few laps. If you want to chip together with a bunch of mates and rent the circuit for your exclusive use, it will cost between £2,450 and £4,750 per day depending on the season. Dates during the endless summer that Sweden is famous for will be the most expensive, but since it never gets dark you can ride deep into the night.
Track facts
Length (of current Northern Loop track): 2 miles
Number of corners: 13 (seven rights and six lefts)
Width: 15-21 metres
Facilities: There are not yet any paddock buildings or facilities at the track but the organisers have deals with outside caterers and restaurants in nearby Visby so hospitality is never far away.
Layout: The circuit is wide and has masses of run-off and huge gravel traps. Don’t expect much rest - this is a challenging, sinuous layout with only one main straight on which to get your breath back.
Getting there: The Gotlandring is 21 miles from Visby on the Island of Gotland and is served by Visby International Airport. If you want to ride to the track, you need to take the overnight ferry from Harwich to Gothenburg, ride 170 miles across Sweden, then get the daily ferries (3 hour sailing) from Oskarshamn just south of Stockholm. Flights from Stockholm take just 30 mins.
Contact: Gotland Ring, Strandgatan 32, SE-621 56 Visby, Sweden
English spoken: Yes
Tel: 0046 498 256 300
Email: info@gotlandring.com
Website: www.gotlandring.com
To see an on-board lap visit: www.visordown.com/secretcircuits
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Lédenon
Lédenon
Lédenon was a favourite of car and bike magazines back in the mid-1990s but has subsequently dropped off the radar. It probably has more undulations than any other race track in Europe. Built in 1970 and set high in the hills of Southern France, it plummets across two valleys and offers an unbelievable rollercoaster ride of ups, downs, corkscrew turns and blind crests. You can’t see the elevation changes in the aerial photo above, but think Cadwell gone mad.
The first corner alone is a gut-wrenching, triple-apex monster ending in a Laguna Seca-style corkscrew turn and there’s no rest for the remainder of this two-mile gem. But be warned – the track is situated in a very hot part of France just 30 minutes from the Mediterranean and the G-forces you’re subjected to on such a rollercoaster track will soon tire out all but the fittest track day addicts. This is one of the most technically challenging circuits you’ll ever ride. Track times costs £12 for a 20-minute session, which must be booked in advance and the fee is non-refundable. Be aware that there’s a 95-decibel noise limit, which effectively means OE exhausts only. To rent the whole circuit exclusively for a day will cost you just £1,550.
Track facts
Length: 2 miles
Number of corners: 13 (8 lefts, 5 rights)
Width: 12 metres
Facilities: Ledenon has pit garages, a cafeteria, viewing areas, telephones and toilets.
Getting there: The town of Ledenon is situated half way between Nimes and Avignon in the south of France, about a 600 mile ride from Calais. If you want to fly there, the circuit is just eight miles from Nimes airport.
Contact: Circuit de Ledenon, 30210 Ledenon, France
English spoken: Yes
Tel: 0033-466371137
Email: asa@ledenon.com
Website: www.ledenon.com
To see an on-board lap visit: www.visordown.com/secretcircuits
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Folembray
Folembray
Folembray is a favourite of hard-core track addicts and bike journalists. Nestled amongst an oak forest just north-east of Paris, this little-known circuit is huge fun to ride. With its mixture of long straights, fast sweeping corners and hairpin bends, it’s a very technical track which will test your riding skills to the limit. It was out of action for many years but was refurbished in 2001 and is now in mint condition. Former 500cc Grand Prix rider Didier de Radigues runs his rider school here meaning you can get on-track tuition from the man who used to race against Barry Sheene and Freddie Spencer. The rider school has dates at Folembray on June 2-3, June 24 and July 28-29 and the price for a day at the school is £370 but bear in mind that instruction will be in French! Check out www.deradiguesschool.com for details but also be warned that the site is only available in French or Dutch so it’s best to email.
Folembray host their own track days which cost £60 per day with your own bike. Or you could consider getting together with your mates and chipping in to hire the circuit exclusively for a day or weekend. Prices vary according to the season and whether you want to hire the track during the week or on a weekend. For example, you could rent your very own race track for as little as £610 on a weekday in January but that would rise to £1,457 for a weekday in July or £1,917 for a Saturday or Sunday, but still a snip compared to UK prices.
The track’s clubhouse can cater for up to 100 guests and there is also a bar, toilets and showers. For smaller groups, there is a control tower with rooms which offer great views of the circuit. Both are available at an extra charge to circuit rental. To negotiate a deal, contact the circuit directly.
Track facts
Length: 1.274 miles
Number of corners: 11 (4 lefts, 7 rights)
Width: 9 metres
Facilities: Clubhouse, viewing tower, bar, showers and toilets. Basic but clean.
Layout: Folembray sits in 30 hectares of private land. The circuit is secluded from the outside world by heavy woodland, which makes it feel like a natural amphitheatre. There are substantial grass run-off areas and no Armco or barriers to run into.
Getting there: Folembray circuit is 75 miles north-east of Paris making it easy to reach by ferry and road from the UK. If you choose to fly and rent a bike through the race school, the nearest airport is Roissy Charles De Gaulle.
Contact: Circuit de Folembray, 02670 Folembray, France
English spoken: No
Tel: 0033-6027-9974
Email: sylvie.godignon.cpsra@wanadoo.fr
Website: www.circuit-de-folembray.com
To see an on-board lap of the track visit: www.visordown.com/secretcircuits
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Euroring
Euroring
Built in 2004 the Euro-Ring in Hungary is a very impressive new complex, which boasts one long circuit and six different short-circuit configurations. It plays host to motorcycle track days almost every week and a day’s fun will only set you back £45 on your own bike. Alternatively, you can do a morning session for £27, an afternoon session for £33 or a one-hour blast will only set you back £18 making the Euro-Ring one of the best value circuits around.
Riding the main circuit is all about linking the bends together, and beware because while you’re learning many of them look the same! The circuit is flat with little elevation, but for riders of smaller capacity (600cc) or supermoto bikes the seemingly endless combinations of corners are glorious to ride. It’s possible to hire the circuit for exclusive use but you must contact the circuit to negotiate a price as it will depend on the level of staffing and back-up required on the day. Expect to pay between £2,500 to £4,000.
Bike racing has really taken off in Hungary since the country produced its first ever world champion in the shape of Gabor Talmasci, who took the 125cc GP crown last year. The country became part of the EU in 2004 meaning you don’t need any complicated visas to get there. A touring trip from the UK will see you take in Belgium (or Holland), Germany and Austria en route to Hungary making it an ideal ride through the heart of Europe.
Track facts
Length: 1.75 mile main circuit
Number of curves: 17 on main track
Width: 12 metres
Facilities: The Euro-Ring has all the facilities you’d expect from a newly-built international circuit including a café, bar and garages.
Layout: The track itself is very complex but not the fastest in the world, thanks to its compact layout and lack of main straight. That only makes it more of a challenge to ride and the gravel-trap run-off areas are huge making the Euro-Ring a relatively safe place to thrash your bike to the max.
Contact: Euro-Ring, 2377 Orkeny, PF13, Hungary
English spoken: Yes
Tel: 0036-2951-0410
Email: info@euroring.hu
Website: www.euro-ring.hu
To see an on-board lap visit: www.visordown.com/secretcircuits
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Serres
Serres
Not known for producing top-flight motorcycle racers, Greece at least has ideal weather for track days and is the perfect location to turn your circuit riding into a full-blown holiday. With summer temperatures of 32° and the Aegean sea to jump into after, this is track action for posh people.
Serres is just 10 years old so it’s in stunning condition. Opened in 1998 to meet the needs of the Greek motorsport fraternity which was desperately short of quality circuits, it regularly hosts Greek national and European championship races while Supermoto and drag racing events are also held here. The circuit is situated in Macedonia in the north of Greece amidst stunning scenery.
The circuit can be hired for exclusive use if you want to club together with friends and have your very own track day. Prices vary depending on when you want to book it. A weekday in January, for example, will cost as little as £382 rising to £1,400 (again for a week day) during the peak season summer months. Hiring the circuit for a full weekend ranges from £766 in winter to £2,681 in summer. Imagine the fun you could have with 10 mates all chipping in – for less than the price of a track day at Brands GP you could have your own Greek circuit for a weekend!
The California Superbike School holds classes here and reckon the circuit has the most grip out of any it operates at. Each level of the school costs £229 per day and leathers are available to hire at the circuit for £30 a day.
Track facts
Length: 1.979 miles
Number of curves: 16 (9 rights, 7 lefts)
Width: 12-15 metres
Facilities: Serres has all facilities covered, from cafes to shower units and viewing towers and briefing rooms to plenty of toilets.
Layout: At just under two miles long, Serres is a fantastic mixture of fast, flowing corners and tighter sections including a 180 degree hairpin. The main straight was built to meet FIA specifications that demanded speeds of 300kph (218.75mph) could be reached so you’ll be able to max out even the fastest road bikes here. Ample gravel traps and grass run-off areas make it a relatively safe track to ride.
Getting there: The Serres Circuit is situated at the heart of the Balkan Peninsula, 55 miles from Thessaloniki and 375 miles from Athens, both of which have international airports.
Contact: Serres Racing Circuit S.A., Omonia Athletic Park, Serres, 62100
English spoken: Just
Tel: 0030-23210-39699 (circuit) 0030-23210-52592 (office)
Email: info@serrescircuit.gr
Website: www.serrescircuit.gr
To see an on-board lap visit: www.visordown.com/secretcircuits
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Mores
Mores
Lying in the Mediterranean just off the Italian coast, the holiday island of Sardinia is another fantastic destination that now has its own purpose-built racetrack. Sardinia’s only FIM-homologated racetrack was opened in March 2003 and it’s one of the most accommodating circuits you’ll find anywhere for track days.
The circuit is tight and flowing and you can choose between 25min sessions at £23 a pop, a half-day session (morning or afternoon) for £61, or a full day’s track action, which will cost you £99. There are track days almost every week during the summer so just check out the website listed for exact dates. Outright circuit hire is also negotiable with prices varying depending on your specific requirements, but they start from as litle as £800 mid-winter (bearing in mind that Sardinia’s winter is a little milder than ours!) The circuit, which is just over a mile long, hosts a round of the world supermoto championship which should give you a clue as to its compact layout. Former 125cc world champion Alessandro Gramigni holds the lap record at 74.6mph but don’t be put off by the low average speed – this is one tough track to conquer.
Track facts
Length: 1.03 miles
Number of curves: 9 (5 lefts, 4 rights)
Width: 14 metres
Facilities: Two snack bars, a restaurant and barbecue facilities serving traditional Sardinian food. 20 pit garages and a tyre sales/fitting service.
Layout: A tight, challenging circuit with blind crests and 180-degree hairpins, Mores is ideally suited to 600cc sports bikes and supermotos Getting there: The circuit is located halfway between the two main ports in Northern Sardinia, Olbia and Porto Torres, which you can sail to from various Italian ports including Naples and Genoa. The nearest airport, Fertilia Alghero, is less than an hour’s ride from the circuit.
Contact: Autodromo Nazionale, Loca lita Su Sassu 07013, Mores (Sassari), Sardinia
English spoken: Sort of
Tel: 0039-0797-06665
Email: info@autodromosardegna.net
Website: www.autodromosardegna.net
To see an on-board lap visit: www.visordown.com/secretcircuits
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Autodromo di Pergusa
Autodromo di Pergusa
Few racing circuits can lay claim to encircling a bubbling volcanic lake but Pergusa in Sicily is one of them. Built in 1951, this unique track was used back in the 1980s for the now-defunct TT Formula 1 World Championship and was noted for being horrifically dangerous. The track was upgraded in 1991 with improved run-off, but it’s still not the safest circuit. It’s essentially just a huge oval and it’s very, very fast.
Pergusa is avilable to rent on most days when there’s no racing action or other offically-organised events taking place and, as usual, prices vary depending on when you want to hire it. Weekdays cost £2,665 while Saturdays or Sundays are £4,233. With the cost split between 10 mates, that’s a whole circuit to yourselves for just £266 a day.
The track is situated 3 miles from the town of Enna, right in the middle of Sicily and boasts of being southern Italy’s finest circuit. The island itself makes a fantastic holiday destination so it’s an ideal way to combine a touring holiday with a bit of track action.
Track facts
Length: 3.076 miles
Number of curves: 16 (10 rights, six lefts)
Width: 11 metres
Facilities: If you like your racing circuits to stink of rotten eggs, Pergusa is for you! Facilities are basic but the food is great. This is Sicily, after all
Layout: The track is largely lined with Armco barriers and has little in the way of run off, making it quite dangerous - the reason why no international bike races are held here. But the proximity of roadside furniture adds to the impression of speed you get when you ride round the track!
Getting there: The nearest airports are Fontanarossa at Catania and Ounta Raisi near Palermo, both of which are within an hour’s drive. If you want to ride to Sicily, there are regular short ferry trips from Reggio Calabria in the south of Italy. There are also services from Naples and Genoa in the north.
Contact: Autodromo di Pergusa, Piazza Garibaldi 8, Via Nazionale 94010, Pergusa, Enna, Italy
English spoken: Yes
Tel: 0039-935-25660
Email: info@autodromopergusa.it
Website: www.autodromopergusa.it
To see an on-board lap visit: www.visordown.com/secretcircuits
