To the delight of motorsports fans, construction has begun on the highly-anticipated Tenerife Motor Circuit, which will be located in the southern region of Granadilla de Abona. Scheduled to be completed by 2018, the racetrack will cover an area of 350,000 square metres within a complex of over 1.3 square kilometres and will add motorsports to Tenerife's outstanding credentials for outdoor sports and activities.

The tarmac racetrack will extend to a total length of 4,067 metres and will feature 15 turns (ten to the left and five to the right) and a main long straight of 819 metres, where drivers will be able to reach speeds of up to 193 miles/hour. The estimated time for completing a full lap at an average speed of 112 miles will be 80 seconds.

The Tenerife Island Government has chosen prominent motorsport figure Walter Sciacca as the Director of the project. Sciacca, who has over twenty years' experience in the industry, is the CEO and Managing Director of MPA (Motorsport Professional Advice), a company specialised in consulting for the motorsport industry. One of Sciacca's main career highlights was his position as CEO and Managing Director at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari at Imola (Italy), home to the Formula One San Marino Grand Prix from 1981 to 2006 – a track in which Michael Schumacher ended in the first position in seven occasions. 

After the signing of the agreement at end of August, Mr. Carlos Alonso, President of the Tenerife Island Government, said: “After a few years of negotiation, we are extremely pleased that the Tenerife Motor Circuit has come to fruition. This significant and attractive project will become a new and exciting tourist attraction for all visitors to the island.”

Walter Sciacca commented: “The Tenerife Motor Circuit is a real challenge for me, as we are building the racetrack from scratch. I'm sure it will be a successful one.”

The racetrack is expected to become a major attraction for visitors to the largest of the Canary Islands. A total of 1,765,216 UK citizens visited Tenerife in 2015.

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About Tenerife

Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands and one of the most popular and easily accessible holiday destinations for UK travellers. Guaranteed sunshine, diverse landscapes, idyllic beaches and charming villages make the island an ideal holiday choice all year round, while its vast array of fantastic activities, from year-round whale watching and stargazing on Spain's tallest peak to caving adventures inside Europe's largest lava tubes, ensure that the island's variety of experiences are as unforgettable as its flavours and friendly people.

For general tourism information on Tenerife, please visit: www.webtenerife.co.uk

For media information, please contact Enrique Martin or Richard Hume at Hume Whitehead on 0845 498 9980 or email enrique@humewhitehead.co.uk / richard@humewhitehead.co.uk