Chengdu Goldenport Circuit

Chengdu Goldenport Circuit (simplified Chinese: 成都国际赛车场; traditional Chinese: 成都國際賽車場) also known as Chengdu International Circuit in English, was a permanent circuit in Shi Sheng Road, Jin Jiang, 610023 Chengdu, People's Republic of China.

Chengdu Goldenport Circuit
LocationChengdu, People's Republic of China
Time zoneUTC+8
Major eventsATCS, Formula V6 Asia, A1 Grand Prix
Length3.367 km (2.091 mi)
Turns13
Race lap record1:15.212 (Robert Doornbos, A1 Team The Netherlands, 2008, A1GP)

It held a round of Asian Touring Car Series (ATCS), Formula V6 Asia in 2007 and 2008.

On August 26 2008, the circuit was confirmed to be hosting a round of the 2008-09 A1 Grand Prix season.[1] It was the fourth different circuit in China to have hosted an A1 Grand Prix race. The track hosted the second round of the Grand Prix season on 9 November 2008, the Sprint race was won by Adam Carroll of Team Ireland and the Feature race was won by Filipe Albuquerque of Team Portugal. The fastest lap at the circuit was set by Robert Doornbos of Team The Netherlands, who managed a lap of 1:15.212.

In August 2019, the venue was announced to be demolished.[2] According to renowned F1 journalist Joe Saward, plans are for a redevelopment of the circuit to be FIA Grade 1 in order to start work towards a second Formula One race in China. [3]


The circuit

The circuit was 3.367 km (2.091 mi) long. A1 Grand Prix's track commentator Bruce Jones compared the bumpy circuit [4] to Spain's Circuito Permanente del Jarama and Portugal's Autódromo do Estoril. He suggested the main straight is longer than the one at Circuit Park Zandvoort, before plunging under a bridge.[5] Another A1GP track commentator John Watson believed that the bumps are the consequence of the track's location in an earthquake zone.[6]

A1 Team Australia's driver John Martin said driving on the track was like "old Mario Kart on Nintendo" because the bumps on the circuit made his car jump. There were puddles on the circuit which never dried up during the weekend and they caused spins. He also said that the surface is not ideal because the water was rising to the surface, as the track was built on part of a swamp.[7]

References
  1. "Chengdu race announced". a1gp.com. 2008-08-26. Archived from the original on 2008-08-31. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
  2. GT News Notebook - Daily Sportscar, 17 August 2019
  3. Notebook Joe Saward's Notebook
  4. "It's all about the bumps". a1gp.com. 2008-11-07. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
  5. "POSTCARD from Chengdu, China". a1gp.com. 2008-11-07. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
  6. "WATTIE'S WHAT?: Lesson 2". a1gp.com. 2008-11-17. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
  7. "Martin flies on China's Mario circuit". foxsports.com. 2008-11-11. Retrieved 2008-11-16.

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