The Lago Potrero de los Funes circuit is an Argentine
motorsports
Motorsport, motorsports or motor sport is a global term used to encompass the group of competitive sporting events which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles. The terminology can also be used to describe forms of competition of two ...
race track
A race track (racetrack, racing track or racing circuit) is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals (e.g. horse racing or greyhound racing). A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Race tracks are also u ...
originally constructed in 1987, and rebuilt in 2008. It is located from
San Luis, capital city of the
San Luis Province
San Luis () is a province of Argentina located near the geographical center of the country (on the 32° South parallel). Neighboring provinces are, from the north clockwise, La Rioja, Córdoba, La Pampa, Mendoza and San Juan.
History
The ci ...
,
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
. The circuit is semi-permanent, with a length of . It was created by modifying the ring road that encircles
Lake Potrero de los Funes
Lake Potrero de los Funes (''Embalse Potrero de los Funes'') is a reservoir 18 km (11 mi) northeast of San Luis, Argentina.
Overview
The site, originally located in a corral belonging to the prominent Funes family of San Luis, was first ...
, at the course's center.
The circuit has received very high praise from the drivers for its substantial undulations and numerous high speed corners and bends, which provide a great driving challenge.
The track's layout has changed slightly from its original layout. It appears that the curve prior to where the pits are now was tightened to create a more pronounced corner ahead of the pits, and perhaps to reduce speeds on the racing line going past the new pit exit. On the opposite side of the lake, where start/finish used to be located, a chicane has been added at the first high speed bend along that stretch. Also, on the initial descending run along the lake, there has been another chicane added to reduce speeds into the following corner that has limited run-off. Therefore, the original course had slightly shorter length of .
Races hosted
According to Damian Vega's account, a meet was held at this circuit on August 15, 1987. The main event was a
Turismo Carretera
Turismo Carretera (Road racing, lit., ''Road Touring'') is a popular stock car racing series in Argentina, and the oldest auto racing series still active in the world. The series is organized by Asociación Corredores de Turismo Carretera.
The ...
race. During one of the heat races, a crash occurred that resulted in the deaths of two spectators. In the feature race, there was another crash, but the driver survived, though he may have been injured. This was the circuit's only meeting until the FIA GT weekend was held in November 2008.
On the track's reopening, two major events were hosted in November 2008. A race weekend was shared by the Argentinian
TC 2000
The TC2000 (''Turismo Competición 2000'', formerly ''Súper TC2000'') is a touring car racing series held in Argentina since 1979.
Rules
Prior to 2012, engines of up to were allowed, with only limited modifications from standard engines. ...
as well as the international
FIA GT Championship
The FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation (SRO) at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout ...
.
José María López
José María "Pechito" López (born 26 April 1983) is an Argentine race car driver who is currently competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with Toyota Gazoo Racing and 2014–2016 World Touring Car Champion. He raced in the 2006 GP2 ...
won the TC 2000 event, while Bert Longin and Anthony Kumpen won the
San Luis 2 Hours in their
Saleen S7R
Saleen Automotive, Inc., commonly known as Saleen (/səˈliːn/), is an American manufacturer of specialty high-performance sports cars and high-performance automotive parts. Saleen is headquartered in Corona, California, US. On June 26, 2013 Sa ...
.
The official race lap records at the Potrero de los Funes Circuit are listed as:
References
External links
* http://www.fiagt.com/eventdetail.php?season=2008&event=10
* https://web.archive.org/web/20081103035517/http://www.fiagtsanluis.com/circuito.html
Potrero de los Funes Photographic TourInformación turística sobre Potrero de los Funes, San Luís, Argentina.Portal de cabañas de Potrero de los Funes
Motorsport venues in San Luis Province
Sport in San Luis Province
Buildings and structures in San Luis Province
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