Valencia (21/07/2008).- The President of the Valencian Regional Government this morning said that the Valencia Street Circuit will be a reference in Formula 1 in the 21st Century because of its singularity and characteristics.

President Camps visited the Valencia Street Circuit with the president of Formula One Management, Bernie Ecclestone, where the Grand Prix of Europe will be held next August with a total length of 5473 metres, and a minimum track width of 14 metres.

During the visit, he emphasised that the street circuit will mean a new international reference point for Valencia in the motor sport world and that it will project an image of the city to the whole world and, along these lines, he underlined the fact that it is a "group success" and later added that with this circuit "Spain once more gives the best image of itself, one of modernity, commitment and belief in our own possibilities".

Camps underlined the importance of great sporting events to generate dynamism in the economy and pointed out that sporting events create employment, investment, tourism, infrastructures, growth and prosperity. Along these same lines, he said that thanks to the Valencia Street Circuit "the whole world will see that we have been capable of a great feat of engineering and an infrastructure that is at the service of sport at this level".

In this context, Camps pointed out the singular features and spectacularity of the circuit as there are very few places in the world where the infrastructures of Formula 1 and the America's Cup converge and "it is very hard to find a circuit with these characteristics, as the ones we have here, in Valencia, in Spain, that hosts the Grand Prix of Europe, which just as it was designed, so has it been set up".

The Head of the Council underlines that the F1 Grand Prix of Europe to be held in Valencia "is a group success, it is the success of everyone, who one way or another, have believed that the project could be carried out" and regarding this, he thanked the involvement of Bernie Ecclestone for embarking on this great project.

Moreover, he thanked all the citizens of the Valencian Community who "have believed since the start that this was the best way to tell the world that we are a great Community, that we are a great territory and that anything we decide to do, however ambitious it may seem, we are capable of doing".

Camps took a tour of all the work derived through the project and pointed out that the greatest regeneration of land ever done in our country has taken place, due to the number of square metres and amount of cubic metres of land that have been moved, and recalled the position of the bridge that entrance to the port.

Along these lines he recalled that the whole world has been in favour of this project, because it is a "hopeful" project" a group effort, the success of everyone and within one month's time it will materialise with the F1 Grand Prix of Europe so that "Spain will be able, once again, to give the best image of itself, one of modernity, commitment and belief in our own possibilities".

Just one month from the great event that will convert Valencia in a tourist resort within reach of the whole world, on July 26th and 27th, Valencia will host the Spanish Formula 3 Championship and the International GT Open. These races will be a rehearsal for the Grand Prix of Europe and will help in fine tuning the street circuit.

On the other hand, the President of Formula One Management, Bernie Ecclestone said he felt satisfied to be a part of this project right from the beginning and said that: "the Valencia Street Circuit will be the best street circuit and one of the best circuits in the world of Formula 1".

Along these lines he added that "this should not be called the F1 Grand Prix of Europe but rather the Grand Prix of the World". He also expressed his gratitude for the work done by the President of the Valencian Regional Government, Francisco Camps, and the Mayor of Valencia, Rita Barberá ""who have made Valencia a city we should all be proud of".

Finally, the Vice-President of Valmor Sports, Jorge Martinez Aspar, added that "the dream is about to come true, the circuit is practically finished and it will be one of the places where there will be a great spectacle". Finally, he invited everyone to see the F3 and GT races next weekend.

Tickets for both races, F3, GT and the F1 Grand Prix of Europe are available at:

• By telephone: in Servientrada Bancaja on 902 11 55 77

• In person: at El Corte Inglés department stores throughout Spain

 

Source: Valmor Sports