Autódromo Internacional de San Carlos

Autódromo Internacional de San Carlos at a glance

Location

San Carlos, Cojedes

Type

dormant

Length

4.135 km (2.569 mi)

Surface

asphalt

Opened

1970

Owner

private owners (circuit reportedly listed for sale, unsold as of recent reports)

Address

Troncal 5, San Carlos 2201

Track map and layout

San Carlos opened in 1970 as a fast 2.700 km layout praised at the time as one of the best-designed and quickest circuits in Latin America, built with modern amenities including a steel-framed pit building and control tower. The circuit was extended to a 3.135 km short layout in 1976 and then to its longer 4.135 km full configuration from 1977, the version used for its motorcycle world championship years and still the circuit's main layout today, though the track's condition has deteriorated substantially since. An early-2000s kart circuit added alongside the main course has reportedly remained a more consistently active part of the site.

Configurations

Events and race weekends

San Carlos hosted the motorcycle grand prix world championship for four consecutive years, 1977 to 1979 (with a further appointment reported around that era), a rare distinction for a Venezuelan circuit, and it was at one stage reportedly earmarked for a Formula One test that never materialised. A fatal accident in 2000 contributed to the circuit's subsequent decline, and no major international events have used the full circuit in recent years; its kart circuit has continued to see more regular local use.

Getting there and parking

The circuit sits on Troncal 5 in San Carlos, the capital of Cojedes state in central Venezuela, roughly midway between Caracas and Barinas; with the facility in decline, practical visitor infrastructure such as scheduled transit to the gates is unlikely to be reliable, and a hire car or taxi from San Carlos itself is the only realistic option.

• Simón Bolívar International Airport (Caracas) (CCS) · about 180 min drive

Given Venezuela's broader economic and infrastructure difficulties, visitors should verify current road conditions and safety information before planning a trip; the circuit's operating status should not be assumed without local confirmation.

Hotels and camping near Autódromo Internacional de San Carlos

San Carlos is a modest state capital with limited hotel options; visitors would most likely base themselves in the town itself or travel from a larger city such as Valencia or Caracas.

Where to look

San Carlos, Cojedes (limited local options); Valencia (larger city, further afield).

Track days, driving experiences and lap records

The main circuit has been in a prolonged decline for economic reasons and has reportedly been listed for sale without finding a buyer, so organised trackday access to the full course cannot be confirmed; the venue's kart circuit has continued to be used locally.

Spectator guide

San Carlos was built with modern facilities for its era, including a steel-framed pit building and control tower, but detailed current spectator information could not be confirmed given the circuit's decline in recent decades.

Weather

• Dec-Apr (dry season): hot tropical climate, highs typically around 32-34°C
• May-Nov (wet season): hot and humid with frequent rain, highs typically around 30-32°C

History of Autódromo Internacional de San Carlos

A showcase circuit for Venezuela

Autódromo Internacional de San Carlos opened in 1970 in Cojedes state, central Venezuela, launched as a fast, modern 2.700 km circuit fitted with a steel-framed pit building and control tower, and quickly praised as one of the best-designed and quickest tracks in Latin America. The layout was extended in stages through the 1970s, reaching 3.135 km in 1976 and then its longer 4.135 km full configuration from 1977, giving Venezuela a genuinely international-standard facility.

World championship years

The circuit's high point came when it secured a run of motorcycle grand prix world championship rounds from 1977 to 1979, a rare achievement for a South American venue and a mark of the ambitions behind the project. Rumours at various points suggested the circuit was being considered for a Formula One test session, though this reportedly never came to pass.

Decline and uncertain future

San Carlos's fortunes turned through the following decades as Venezuela's broader economic difficulties deepened, and a fatal accident at the circuit in 2000 marked a further setback. Facility maintenance and event scheduling both suffered, and by the 2020s the circuit had been reported as listed for sale by its owners without finding a buyer, its condition described as having slowly and sadly declined. A kart circuit added in the early 2000s has remained comparatively active even as the main road course's future stays uncertain, leaving San Carlos a faded reminder of a period when Venezuela briefly hosted world championship motorcycle racing.

Frequently asked questions