Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan

Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan at a glance

Location

Marrakesh

Type

street circuit

Length

2.971 km (1.846 mi)

Turns

14

Surface

asphalt (public roads)

Opened

2009

Owner

MGP

Capacity

10,000

Address

Agdal district

Track map and layout

Marrakesh's circuit has run in three distinct forms since 2009: a longer 4.545 km, 15-turn original street layout used for touring cars and single-seaters through 2015; a 2.971 km, 14-turn semi-permanent configuration built for Formula E from 2016, mixing closed public roads in the Agdal district with dedicated sections; and a short 1.701 km, 11-turn permanent circuit added in 2016 for club racing and support events. The Formula E-era layout combined long straights suited to overtaking with a tight, technical infield, running past palm groves and low-rise buildings typical of the district. Being part street, part permanent facility, the circuit's exact character shifts depending on which configuration is in use for a given event.

Configurations

Events and race weekends

The circuit was Morocco's home for the FIA World Touring Car Championship (and its WTCR successor) across most seasons from 2009 to 2019, and hosted the Marrakesh ePrix as a round of the Formula E World Championship in 2016 and from 2018 to 2020, plus a further round in 2022. FIA Formula Two raced there in 2010 and Auto GP in 2012-2014. More recently the TCR World Tour held a round at Marrakesh in 2024, showing the venue remains active for international racing even without a fixed annual date on the calendar.

Getting there and parking

The circuit sits in Marrakesh's Agdal district, a short drive from the city centre and from Marrakesh Menara Airport, which handles both domestic and international flights. Most visitors fly into Menara and take a taxi or rideshare into the city; Marrakesh's medina and newer Gueliz district are both within easy reach of the circuit area by road.

• Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) · about 15 min drive

Because parts of the layout use public roads, road closures around race weekends can affect traffic in the Agdal area; check local event announcements before driving through the district on event days.

Hotels and camping near Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan

Visitors typically base themselves in Marrakesh's historic medina for its riads and souks, or in the modern Gueliz and Hivernage districts for larger hotels closer to the Agdal circuit area. There is no camping or trackside accommodation at the venue; all visitor lodging is within the city itself.

Where to look

Gueliz and Hivernage (closest to the Agdal circuit area, modern hotels) or the medina (traditional riads, a short taxi ride away).

Track days, driving experiences and lap records

There is no established public track-day operator running regular sessions on the Marrakesh circuit; it is used primarily for scheduled international race weekends (Formula E, WTCR, TCR) and occasional local club events rather than year-round public driving access.

Spectator guide

With a stated capacity of around 10,000, the circuit offers grandstand and general-admission viewing typical of a street-circuit race weekend, with fans able to walk between several vantage points around the Agdal layout depending on the event.

Seating

Grandstands are erected for major race weekends along the main straight and at key corners; exact stands vary by event.

Weather

• Nov-Jan (typical event window): mild Marrakesh winter, highs around 18-20°C, cool evenings

History of Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan

A street circuit for Morocco's motorsport return

The Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan opened on 1 May 2009 in Marrakesh's Agdal district, giving Morocco a modern venue for international racing after decades without one. Its original 4.545 km, 15-turn layout used closed public roads and immediately attracted the FIA World Touring Car Championship, which raced there in most seasons between 2009 and 2019.

Formula E arrives

As Formula E expanded in the mid-2010s, Marrakesh became one of its early venues. A shorter, semi-permanent 2.971 km configuration was built for the Marrakesh ePrix, first held in 2016 and returning in 2018, 2019 and 2020, plus again in 2022. The all-electric series brought a new international audience to the circuit and to Moroccan motorsport more broadly, alongside continued WTCC/WTCR visits and a spell hosting FIA Formula Two and Auto GP in the early 2010s.

A multi-layout venue today

Alongside the street and semi-permanent configurations, a shorter 1.701 km permanent circuit was added in 2016, giving the venue a facility usable for club racing and testing outside of major international weekends. Formula E ultimately moved its Moroccan round away after 2022, but the circuit has continued to host international racing since, including a TCR World Tour round in 2024. The venue's combination of public-road and permanent sections makes it a flexible, if irregularly scheduled, stop on the North African motorsport calendar.

Frequently asked questions