Circuit Andorra

September 2023. Oriol and I are flying to Toulouse for a road trip in Occitania and (French) Catalonia. We include the Principality of Andorra, which I can finally tick off the bucket list, and Llívia, Spain‘s exclave in France. Besides Toulouse we visit Mont-Louis, Villefranche-de-Conflent, Perpignan and Carcassonne.

After our first night in Toulouse we – or rather Oriol – drove to Andorra. Anticipation ran high. I had never been to the principality and the microstate was high on my wish list. Like Liechtenstein and San Marino, it’s not too practical to reach by public transport. Unlike Monaco or Vatican City.

But there it was. We weren’t stopped at the border to drive into Andorra. The first ski resort to great us is El Pas de la Casa, in the parish of Encamp. Yes, Andorra is divided in parishes.

El Pas de la Casa hosts Circuit Andorra. Hurray, a circuit to add to my tally!

Presentation

“The highest permanent racetrack in the world. Our racetrack is the highest permanent racetrack in the world”, Circuit Andorra says.

“It is located at an altitude of 2,400 meters above sea level, 3 km from Pas de la Casa (Andorra), almost at the foot of the Grandvalira Ski Resort. Geography and climatology shape our identity and allow us to perform activities throughout the year, but what sets us apart and shapes our DNA is ice and snow, which allows us to host events as unique as the Andros Trophy or the GSERIES. We guarantee great experiences all year round!”

Different surfaces for summer and winter

The racetrack has a versatile layout with different configurations for all types of vehicles. It can be divided into two separate paths. The track can be driven in either direction.

he ice racing track is 945 meters long and combines fast stretches with slow curves. It is between 11 and 14 meters wide, giving the possibility to go in both directions with five different layouts.

The asphalt racetrack is “the ideal track for cars and motorcycles due to its range and its varying layout. Ideal for drifting, sports club activities and classic or sports car events”.

Andros Trophy

The Andros Trophy or e-Andros Trophy is a French ice racing cup. Since 2019 all vehicles are electric. This ice racing championship uses 4-wheel-drive, all-wheel-steering (mostly) hatchback cars. It’s like rallycross, but on ice.

It was created in 1990 and I used to watch in in the Formula 1 off-season. It also attracts big(ger) names such as Alain Prost, Olivier Panis, Jacques Villeneuve, Sébastien Loeb and Yvan Müller.

This season, 2023-2024, the Andros Trophy visits Val Thorens in Savoy, Andorra, Isola 2000 in the Alpes-Maritimes (Maritime Alps), Lens-en-Vercors in the Isère department and Super-Besse in the Puy-de-Dôme department.

GSERIES

The GSERIES are born from the passion for motorsport that has always existed in Andorra.

“The beginnings date back to 1996, when the first ice races were held, very close to where our Circuit is located today. More than 25 years later, the competition has become the benchmark ice championship in southern Europe.”

There are four categories participating in the event, which has an accumulated average participation of more than 250 drivers of various nationalities in the four races of each season.

“The queen category of the championship will be run with the 100% electric QEV vehicles that compete in the RX world championship. The Clio Ice Trophy will be the gateway for the 2RM with the Clio Rally 5 in single-make format and the Side by Side and the bikes will complete the grids this season.”

On that day

On the day we were there, Sunday 3 September 2023, some karting track day was on. So it was impossible to walk the track. And as karting requires left-foot braking, I couldn’t have a go.

But I’m happy to have stopped for a while at Circuit Andorra.

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