Having a curve titled with your name is synonymous with prestige and a source of pride. It is like this for many pilots, who received this honor either after retiring or while still active, as well as a tribute to unforgettable protagonists who have left us. But the corners will not only bear the names of the drivers, because the Mayor of Jerez de la Frontera and President of the Jerez Circuit, María José García-Pelayo, has announced that Turn 7 of the Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto will receive the name of Carmelo Ezpeleta .
The CEO of Dorna will thus have his own curve, as a sign of “recognition for his work in favor of motorcycling and, specifically, of the Circuito de Jerez-Ángelo Nieto during all these years to host the MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix and the World Superbike”, reads the press release released today to make the honor official.
Carmelo Ezpeleta is only the last, in chronological order, to put his name on a curve of the Andalusian track, which extends for 4,423 meters divided into 13 curves (8 on the right and 5 on the left). Already 11 of these bear a name, among them: Sito Pons (Curve 5), Dani Pedrosa (Curve 6), Jorge Martinez Aspar (Curve 8), Ángel Nieto (Curve 9, the entire facility is dedicated to him), Peluqui (Antonio Sánchez-Garrido, Turn 10), Álex Crivillé (Turn 11) and Jorge Lorenzo (Turn 13). The other curves do not bear the names of drivers, but have been dedicated to events or brands (Curve 1 – Expo '92, Curve 2 – Michelin, Curve 12 – Ferrari). Therefore, with the dedication to Ezpeleta, only Turns 3 and 4 do not have a name.
Dani Pedrosa, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Photo credit: KTM Images
“Turn 7 is a quick left, which leads to other more pronounced corners. This, which rises towards el Arroyo de El Gato, was remodeled to increase safety within the project of improvements to the escape routes of Turns 1, 5, 6 and 10 of the Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto to adapt them to the standards of the circuits of the International Motorcycling Federation. Thanks to these improvements, what was once the 40 meter protection line is now extended to 70 metres”, we read in the note in reference to the work carried out to improve safety standards, which had been at the center of several controversy in recent years.
The change will become effective already on the occasion of this year's Spanish Grand Prix, scheduled for the end of next month: “This Curve, which will be called Carmelo Ezpeleta Curve starting from the next Grand Prix, is located among those dedicated to Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Martínez Aspar. Ezpeleta, born in Barcelona in 1946, is the great architect of the prestige of this sport, which has become the liveliest passion on the five continents. Furthermore, he is a great supporter of Jerez as the capital of motorcycling, the greatest defender of this track in its various vicissitudes, ensuring that Jerez never missed his appointment with the Spanish Grand Prix. It was precisely in Jerez, 31 years ago, where he announced that he would manage the World Championship,” the note concludes.
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