Circuit Ricardo Tormo

Circuit guide by Chris Pollitt · dates updated 2 November 2026

Circuit Ricardo Tormo opened in 1999 at Cheste, about 30 km west of Valencia, and it's named after the local 50cc world champion. It's built like a stadium: the whole track sits in a bowl surrounded by grandstands, so you can see almost every corner from the pit wall. The Grand Prix layout is 4.005 km long, runs anticlockwise and has 14 corners, nine of them left-handers. It's been the last round of the MotoGP season for years.

For UK riders it's one of the classic winter-sun trips. The circuit says it can be used for around 95 per cent of the year, and when it's 4°C and raining at home, the Valencian winter is usually mild and dry by comparison. It's a tight, technical lap with few fast sections, so it's more about corner speed and line than bravery. That makes it a good place for intermediates and nervous first-timers abroad. Car days run too, often through German and Spanish organisers.

A lap of Circuit Ricardo Tormo

Layout: Grand Prix, 4.005 km (2.49 miles)

The front straight is the only real chance to stretch a bike, and it ends in the biggest stop on the lap at Turn 1 (Aspar), a left where MotoGP bikes brake from over 320 km/h. You'll be knocking down a couple of gears and the temptation is to brake too late. Get it stopped and turn in, because Turn 2 (Doohan) is a slower left straight after it and a good place to pass. Turn 3 is a fast left on the throttle, and you want to be smooth because the rear can slide here.

Turn 4 is the first right-hander of the lap. After so many lefts, the right side of the tyre will be cooler, especially on a cold winter morning, so this is where a lot of people lose the front. Go steady for the first few laps of every session. Turn 5 follows straight after, and needs only a little braking, then Turn 6, a left, takes you onto the back straight. A good exit there is worth a lot.

Turn 7 is a slightly curving braking zone, and you need the bike stopped well so you can open the throttle early. At Turn 8, carry too much speed in and you'll run wide and lose the drive. Turns 9 and 10 make a fast left-right chicane, and the danger is braking into the right while the bike is already leaned over. It's a common crash spot. Turn 11 is a tight right hairpin, and Turn 12 another right where the tyre is again on its cooler side, with a short uphill run on exit.

Turn 13 is the corner people remember. It's a long, fast left that rises then falls away, flat out on a quick bike if you're brave enough to tuck in and lean. Then Turn 14 (Adrián Campos), a downhill left, comes up quickly and the bike wants to run wide on the way in. Control the speed, get it turned and drive out hard, because a good exit sets your top speed into Turn 1.

Track day tips

• With nine left-handers and five rights, the right side of your tyres can be cold. Take the first right-hander at Turn 4 steady at the start of each session.
• Winter mornings can be cold, even when the afternoons are warm. Tyre warmers are a big help on bike days.
• The track is tight and the stadium layout means you can see most of it from the pit wall. Get a mate to watch your lines and braking points.
• Turns 9 and 10 are a common crash point. Get your braking done before you tip into the right.
• Check noise limits on your booking. Some UK-organised bike days run at 106 dB(A) static, and Spanish circuits do test.
• Turn 13 is fast and long, and it rises then drops away. Work up to it rather than diving in flat on your first laps.

Getting there

The circuit is at Cheste, right next to the A-3 Valencia to Madrid motorway, about 30 km west of the city. Valencia airport is around 15 minutes away by car, and there are direct flights from most big UK airports, with Alicante also within reach. UK bike organisers usually run van transport for Spanish trips, so you can drop the bike off in the UK and fly out. Most people stay in Valencia, though there are hotels in Cheste and Chiva, closer to the circuit.