Cartagena [ May 2013 ]

Circuito de Cartagena track day, May 2013

Circuito de Cartagena is in the Murcia region of south-east Spain, a short drive from the Mediterranean coast. Like the other circuits in southern Spain, it benefits from a dry, mild climate that makes it a regular stop for track day organisers during the European winter and spring.

The track is compact and technical, with a series of tight corners, hairpins and changes of direction linked by short straights. It rewards hard, accurate braking and quick transitions from one side of the tyre to the other rather than outright top speed.

Its tight layout makes Cartagena a good place to work on technique. Corner entry, turn-in points and body position are all exercised several times per lap, so small improvements add up quickly over a day of riding, and the warm weather means plenty of time on track. Its location near the coast also makes it easy to combine a day at the circuit with some Spanish sunshine away from the British winter.

Because the lap is short and busy, there is little time to rest between corners, which makes the circuit a good test of fitness and concentration as well as technique. Riders who work on smooth, early braking and precise turn-in usually find their lap times drop quickly over the day.