Circuit de Calafat
Circuit de Calafat at a glance
- Location
- L'Ametlla de Mar, Catalonia
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 3.25 km (2.019 mi)
- Turns
- 19
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1974
- Owner
- Circuit Calafat, S.A.
- Phone
- +34 977 486 193
- Website
- circuitcalafat.com
Track map and layout
Circuit de Calafat sits inside a coastal urbanisation on the Costa Daurada, a few hundred metres back from the Mediterranean. The current 3.25 km lap, extended and rebuilt from the original 1974 layout, packs 19 corners into a compact, physically demanding footprint — nine rights and seven lefts split by a 600 m main straight, with several tightening-radius combinations that keep drivers busy through every sector. It is regularly cited by Spanish motoring press as one of the country's most technical club circuits precisely because there is so little time to rest between corners. A 10 m track width and modest run-off in places mean it rewards precision over raw horsepower, which is part of why it is popular for driver-training and corporate evasive/efficient-driving courses as well as pure track days.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Full circuit | 3.25 km | 3.25 km, 19 turns, current layout since a 1990 extension |
Events and race weekends
Calafat is primarily a club and corporate venue rather than a national-championship fixture: it runs regional car and motorcycle championship rounds, karting events, driving schools and manufacturer test days rather than headline international series. It has drawn attention beyond club racing for Formula E-related testing — NextEV/TCR ran early Formula E test sessions there in 2015, and the Porsche Formula E team used the track for testing in 2023 — but it does not host an FIA or MotoGP-level world-championship round.
Getting there and parking
The circuit is on the Costa Daurada in southern Catalonia, close to the town of L'Ametlla de Mar. The nearest airports are Reus and Barcelona–El Prat, both roughly an hour to just over an hour's drive on the AP-7 motorway; visitors flying internationally more often use Barcelona and hire a car for the coastal run south. The nearest mainline rail station is L'Ametlla-Ampolla on the Barcelona–Valencia line, a short taxi ride from the track.
- Reus Airport (REU) · about 55 min drive
- Barcelona–El Prat Airport (BCN) · about 90 min drive
Parking
Free on-site parking is available for spectators and track-day participants; arrive early for busier corporate and championship weekends as space near the paddock is limited.
The Renfe station L'Ametlla-Ampolla, on the Barcelona–Valencia coastal line, is a short taxi ride from the circuit and a practical car-free option for a day visit.
Hotels and camping near Circuit de Calafat
L'Ametlla de Mar, a small fishing-town-turned-holiday resort a few minutes from the circuit, has the closest concentration of hotels and holiday apartments and is the obvious base, especially in the summer season when the coast is busy with beach tourism as well as track visitors. Tarragona city, roughly 45 minutes north, offers a wider range of hotels for those combining a track visit with sightseeing.
Where to look
L'Ametlla de Mar for proximity to the circuit and beach access; Tarragona city for a larger hotel selection and easier rail/motorway links.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Calafat runs a regular calendar of car and motorcycle track days ("rodadas" and "tandas") bookable directly through the circuit's own website, alongside corporate driving-experience days and evasive/sport/efficient-driving courses run on site. Both club and manufacturer test days use the venue, and it is a popular stop for riders and drivers based in Catalonia and Valencia given its coastal location.
Who runs days here
Spectator guide
Calafat is a club-level venue without large permanent grandstands, so most spectating for regional championship rounds happens from fenced viewing areas around the paddock and along the outside of key corners. Weather is Mediterranean coastal: hot, dry summers and mild winters, so summer trackside visits call for sun protection.
Seating
Limited grandstand seating; most viewing is from standing areas along the perimeter fencing.
Best places to watch
The corners near the paddock and the main straight give the clearest view of the technical, tightly-packed layout.
Weather
- Jun-Sep: Hot, dry Mediterranean summer, highs often above 85°F (30°C)
- Dec-Feb: Mild coastal winter, highs around 55-60°F (13-16°C)
History of Circuit de Calafat
Origins
Circuit de Calafat opened on 29 September 1974 as a private motorsport facility built by the company Calafat, S.A. as part of a wider coastal leisure urbanisation near L'Ametlla de Mar, on Catalonia's Costa Daurada. The original layout, designed by architect Jordi Xiol, ran 2.496 km with 14 turns and was aimed at club racing rather than international competition.
Growth and setbacks
The circuit's early decades were not smooth: it faced temporary closures in 1982 and 1985 tied to legal and licensing disputes typical of privately financed Spanish tracks of the era. Despite this, Calafat built a reputation among Catalan and Valencian motorsport clubs as a compact, technically demanding venue, and in 1990 the layout was extended to its current 3.25 km, 19-turn configuration, adding further corners without significantly lengthening the straights — a decision that cemented its identity as one of Spain's more physically taxing club circuits.
Modernisation
From 2008 the venue underwent a period of modernisation, and in 2012 the layout received homologation from the Catalan motorcycle federation, formalising its use for bike championship rounds and training. The circuit has since hosted occasional manufacturer and category test sessions of note, including early Formula E test running by the NextEV/TCR team in 2015 and Porsche's Formula E squad testing there in 2023 — a reminder that, despite its club-level day-to-day calendar, Calafat's layout and coastal location make it attractive to teams wanting a compact, low-profile test venue.
Today
Calafat today functions primarily as a corporate and club motorsport venue: driving-experience days, evasive and efficient-driving courses, karting, and a busy calendar of car and motorcycle track days sit alongside regional championship rounds. It has not hosted an FIA or MotoGP-level world championship round, but its combination of a technical, historic layout and a seaside setting keeps it a fixture for Catalan and Valencian motorsport enthusiasts.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Circuit de Calafat?+
The current layout is 3.25 km (2.02 miles) with 19 turns, extended from the original 2.496 km, 14-turn circuit that opened in 1974.
Can the public drive Circuit de Calafat?+
Yes. The circuit runs its own regular calendar of car and motorcycle track days, driving courses and corporate experience days, bookable through the official website.
Does Circuit de Calafat host world-championship racing?+
No. It is a club and corporate venue that has hosted regional championships, karting and occasional manufacturer test days — including Formula E testing in 2015 and 2023 — but not a current FIA or MotoGP world-championship round.
What is the nearest airport to Circuit de Calafat?+
Reus Airport is the closest, roughly 55 minutes by car; Barcelona–El Prat is about 90 minutes away and has more international connections.
Where is Circuit de Calafat located?+
It is in the Calafat urbanisation near L'Ametlla de Mar, on the Costa Daurada in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain.
Other tracks nearby
- MotorLand Aragón · 90 km · road course
- Parcmotor Castellolí · 102 km · road course
- Circuit de Montjuïc · 120 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya · 138 km · road course
- Valencia Street Circuit · 191 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Circuit Ricardo Tormo · 204 km · road course
Facts checked against 4 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.