La Guancha Circuit – Ponce

When was the track built?

Ponce already had a 2.3km permanent track on the other side of the bay, close to the Laguna de las Salinas, but it was mainly a drag strip with few corners and there was no space to properly extend it.
Therefore, when Puerto Rico joined the new F1 organization, the city was still chosen for its tradition, but with a completely new semipermanent circuit, designed by me, between the port and some of the finest resorts of the area.
The part between turn 20 and 3, with the pit buildings and some stands will be built, while the other roads will be open to public when there is no racing.

When was its first Grand Prix?

The new circuit will be ready for the new F1 in 2023 and will host the first ever GP in the country.

What’s the circuit like?

Despite not being a permanent track, it can’t be defined a street course either.
After the three-piece main straight and first three corners, there is another long rectilinear road, cut in half by a tight chicane, followed then by the forest section, which will give a retro-feel to the circuit, leading back to the port area, where there are more 90° corners similarly to the final bit in Sochi.
Each sector has a different mix of turn, which will make set-up choice hard and driving very challenging.

Where is it located?

South of the city of Ponce, in the southern part of the island, in the area of Rafael Cordero Santiago Port of the Americas, close to many famous resorts. (17°58’20.7″N; 66°36’42.6″W)