Valencia
- Country
- Spain
- Continent
- Europe
- Population
- 791.413 (2018)
- Hashtag
- #FETesting
Strictly speaking, the Formula E track is not in Valencia at all, but in the suburb of Cheste, some 26 kilometers to the west. Both cities were built around 2,000 years ago under Roman influence. Valencia quickly developed into the metropolis of eastern Spain due to its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea and the Turia River.
In the centuries that followed, the city was under alternating Christian and Islamic rule before the Kingdom of Valencia finally became part of the Crown of Aragon in 1238. The eventful history can still be seen today in the cityscape of Spain's third largest city. Around 791,000 people now live here, about as many as in Glasgow. Valencia's landmarks include the former city gate Torres de Serranos, Valencia Cathedral and the modern L'Oceanografic aquarium.
In October 2017, Formula E held its collective pre-season testing in Valencia for the first time. This marked the electric series' departure from the twisty track in Donington, United Kingdom, after three years. In Valencia, Formula E initially used the national version of the Ricardo Tormo circuit familiar from MotoGP - including a new chicane on the start/finish straight. Over the years, Formula E adapted the course layout several times. In 2021, a race weekend was also held in Valencia for the first time, as the Paris E-Prix could not take place due to the coronavirus pandemic.