Sidepodcast

Formula 1 Telefónica Grand Prix of Europe

The Valencia Circuit Blog today reports that this year's European Grand Prix will be sponsored by the Spanish telecom giant Telefónica.

The company are already title sponsors for the proper Spanish Grand Prix, so it doesn't come as a massive surprise that they'd be interested in a second race - especially after more than 38,000 people turned up to watch a test session last week.

Of note, it does appear that not everybody is as thrilled about the prospect of a race through the Spanish streets as we are though. Earlier today hundreds of protesters arrived in the city on bicycles, protesting about the necessary port redevelopments. The arguments against the race included:

• There's a perfectly good circuit just up the road.
• Construction congestion is making eveyone unhappy, and costs are impacting on public service expenditure.
• Formula 1 isn't a particularly green sport and they'd rather not be associated with it, ta very much.

At least I think that's what they were saying, you can read more on the aforementioned blog. If your Spanish is better than mine, please feel free to correct or add anything I've overlooked (or got plain wrong).

Alonso originally argued that Ricardo Tormo would be a better place to hold the GP when the street circuit was first announced, and seeing as 10 Formula One teams just spent 3 days driving around the place, it can hardly be said to be in bad shape.

Regardless, what Bernie wants, Bernie gets and a street race it shall be. Indulge yourselves then, with this gorgeous 3D taster of a quick lap around F1's latest circuit:

Of note, the simulation lap time runs in at 1:43 which is a touch slower than the predicted 1:37, but not bad considering it's a 5.473 km track consisting of 25 corners and this orange beauty corners like a Challenger 2 tank!

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