Göteborg City Race Explained

The Göteborg City Race was a temporary motor racing circuit in Gothenburg, Sweden. The circuit was located in the city centre on part of docklands called Frihamnspiren, which was usually used as a concert venue. The spectator capacity for the venue was 30,000. The venue for the race weekends was known as "Eco Drive Arena", with all cars running on environmentally classed fuel.[1]

History

It was inaugurated during June 2008, hosting one round of the Swedish Touring Car Championship (STCC), along with supporting races. The main event was won by Honda Racing driver Thed Björk. The success of the event with close to 40,000 spectators[2] saw a return. On 11 February 2010, touringcartimes.com reported that Sport & Evenemang had secured four more years of racing on the street circuit.[3]

In 2012, the STCC was replaced by the TTA – Racing Elite League. The merged STCC – Racing Elite League visited Göteborg in 2013 and 2014.

The circuit

Göteborg City Circuit had a total length of with the longest straight at approximately . The two hairpins at each end of the circuit which were very wide in and out and promising good overtaking possibilities because they were the reminiscents of those at the Hockenheimring.[4]

Lap records

The fastest official race lap records at the Göteborg City Arena are listed as:

CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEvent
Full Circuit: 1.575 km (2012–2014)[5] [6]
0:44.686[7] 2012 1st Göteborg TTA round
0:45.767[8] 2014 Göteborg Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia round
0:50.804[9] 2014 Göteborg Renault Clio Cup JTCC round
Full Circuit: 1.650 km (2008–2011)[10]
0:45.192[11] 2011 Göteborg Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia round
0:47.020[12] 2008 Göteborg STCC round

Notes and References

  1. News: Gothenburg street race officially launched. touringcartimes.com. Johan Meissner. 2008-02-20. 2010-02-27. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716071957/http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=1918. 2011-07-16.
  2. News: Four more years in Gothenburg. touringcartimes.com. Johan Meissner. 2010-02-11. 2010-02-27. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100227020521/http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=4391. 2010-02-27.
  3. News: Four more years in Gothenburg. touringcartimes.com. Johan Meissner. 2010-02-11. 2010-02-27. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100227020521/http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=4391. 2010-02-27.
  4. News: Gothenburg street race officially launched. touringcartimes.com. Johan Meissner. 2008-02-20. 2010-02-27. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716071957/http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=1918. 2011-07-16.
  5. Web site: Göteborg - TouringCars . TouringCars.Net . 7 December 2022.
  6. Web site: Göteborg 2012–2014 . svenskracing.se . sv . 9 June 2024.
  7. Web site: TTA Göteborg City Race 2012 - TTA, Race, 45 varv . 29 September 2012 . 9 June 2024.
  8. Web site: 2014 STCC Göteborg City Race - Carrera Cup - Heat 2 . 7 June 2014 . 30 October 2022.
  9. Web site: 2014 STCC Göteborg City Race - Clio Cup / JTCC - Heat 1 . 7 June 2014 . 7 December 2022.
  10. Web site: Göteborg 2008–2011 . svenskracing.se . sv . 9 June 2024.
  11. Web site: 2011 STCC Göteborg City Race - Carrera Cup - Heat 1 . 18 June 2011 . 7 December 2022.
  12. Web site: Swedish Touring Car Championship 2008 » Göteborg City Circuit Round 5 Results . 14 June 2008 . 7 December 2022.