Guadix, Racing Circuit

Circuito Guadix, officially the Circuito Mike G Guadix, sits in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada near Granada in southern Spain. It opened in 2002 under the Arroyo brothers, with its inaugural event the Andalucian Speed Championship in June of that year. Primarily a testing facility, the circuit's remote setting, warm climate and lack of noise restrictions allow round-the-clock running in relative secrecy, which has made it one of Europe's most popular professional test and product-launch venues. British amateur racer and motor trader Clive Greenhalgh bought out the original investors in 2006, after which bookings climbed past 200 days a year, drawing teams from car and motorcycle racing alike. The track was redesigned and resurfaced in 2008 with specially imported low-abrasion tarmac, and in 2011 further safety work allowed it to be certified for running in either direction, adding reverse layout variants. Manufacturers including Nissan, Aston Martin and Peugeot have used it for Le Mans night-running simulations. It also holds a notable footnote as the venue for Lewis Hamilton's first run in a Formula Renault car, while Alain Prost and Michael Schumacher have also lapped there. The circuit was renamed in memory of Greenhalgh's son Mike, a racer and instructor who died in 2011, and it is now home to a racing academy for aspiring Formula 3 and Formula 4 drivers.