Valencia (04/07/2008).- The Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe will be held at the Valencia Street Circuit in the third week of August, and besides the Formula One single-seaters, it will give four other internationally renowned competitions the chance to race next to the Mediterranean: the GP2 Series, Formula BMW, the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and the Formula 3 Spanish Championship.

Although the official timetable of the trials has yet to be made public, it has already been decided which races will share the event with Formula 1. The GP2 Series is the natural prelude to the F1 and, with Formula BMW and Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, these races regularly provide the supporting acts in Formula 1 events held in Europe. The Formula 3 Spanish Championship is different because it will be included in a Grand Prix programme for the first time.

Formula and Touring

GP2 Series races are a byword for entertainment. Since its creation in 2005, young drivers such as Lewis Hamilton, Timo Glock or Nelson Piquet have achieved a place in the Formula 1 grid thanks to their rousing performances in the competition. The GP2 grid will include Spanish drivers Javier Villa, Andy Soucek, Roldán Rodríguez and the driver from Alicante Adrián Vallés, and three Spanish teams: Racing Engineering, Campos Grand Prix and BCN Competición. Each GP2 event includes two races: the first and longer race with obligatory pit stops is held on Saturday, while the second race, a sprint, is held on Sunday, just before the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe.

Formula BMW is the means that the German brand has been employing in the last three years to promote young drivers from around the world. In the last two years, BMW chose to hold the world final at the Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo Circuit where spectators could enjoy watching the best BMW Formula drivers from the United States, Asia and Europe. The German driver Sebastian Vettel graduated from these events to the F1.

The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup has been part of the Formula 1 Grand Prix package since 1993. It is the most important one-make cup in the world, in which drivers and teams compete with identical Porsche 911 GT3 in the same technical conditions. The 2008 programme is made up of 11 races, 10 of which are held along with Formula One World Championship. Valencian driver, Lucas Guerrero, will be the only Spaniard on the grid, among drivers from all around Europe.

The Spanish Formula 3 Championship is the most competitive single-seater competition in Spain. Drivers from different countries participate in this event and drivers such as Javier Villa, Borja García, Alvaro and Marco Barba or Adrián Vallés have all taken part in this competition. This season, the Formula 3 Spanish Championship will be the only race to be held twice at the Valencia Street Circuit; on the 26 and 27 of July for the preliminary races to test the urban circuit, and in August with the Formula 1.

Source: Valmor Sports