(FIA) - Round eight of the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship visits Spain for the second time this season, as the Valencia Street Circuit hosts its fourth edition of this event.

Skirting the harbour area of downtown Valencia, the circuit and its surrounding infrastructure were designed to make new use of facilities built for the 2007 America’s Cup and after the Monaco and Canadian Grands Prix, this is the third consecutive street track on the 2011 calendar. In set-up terms, Valencia is more conventional than the extremes of maximum and minimum downforce required by Monaco and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

As in previous years, the Valencia Street Circuit is expected to be demanding on machinery, thanks to the narrow confines inherent to any street track.Three different drivers have won the first three grands prix here: Felipe Massa (Ferrari); Rubens Barrichello (Brawn GP) and Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing). All will be seeking to become the first Valencia ‘double’ winners, while Vettel’s team-mate, Mark Webber, will be seeking to put memories of his enormous accident here last year – from which he emerged unscathed – firmly behind him.

FROM CHARLIE WHITING, RACE DIRECTOR
“We have two DRS zones here this year which, in combination with new tyre compounds from Pirelli, should almost certainly make things more interesting.
“This is a very well-run race, with all the infrastructure and circuit staff brought down from the permanent circuit, so there’s a lot of experience and knowledge.
“After a few years here it’s starting to look a little more lived-in now and more like a race track, which is good. And it’s unique, as the bridge across the harbour opens every night, so the circuit becomes incomplete until it’s closed again.”

CIRCUIT DATA

VALENCIA STREET CIRCUIT

Length of lap:
5.419km
Lap record:
1:38.683
(Timo Glock
Toyota, 2009)
Start line/finish line offset:
0.000km
Total number of race laps:
57
Total race distance:
308.883km
Pitlane speed limits:
60km/h during practice;
60km/h during qualifying and race

CHANGES TO THE CIRCUIT SINCE 2010

► Tyre barriers at turns 12 and 17 have been doubled in depth, to provide extra security, in the wake of two serious accidents here last year.