Potrero de los Funes Circuit

The Potrero de los Funes Circuit (Circuito de Potrero de los Funes) was an Argentine motorsports race track. It is located 14-kilometre (8.7 mi) from San Luis, capital city of the San Luis Province, Argentina.

Potrero de los Funes Circuit
LocationPotrero de los Funes-San Luis, Argentina
Time zoneUTC-03:00
Coordinates33°13′30″S 66°14′20″W / 33.22500°S 66.23889°W / -33.22500; -66.23889
OpenedInitial: May 1978; 46 years ago (1978-05)
Re-opened: November 2008; 16 years ago (2008-11)
ClosedFirst: August 1987; 37 years ago (1987-08)
Second: February 2024; 9 months ago (2024-02)
Major eventsFormer:
FIA GT1 World Championship (2010–2011)
FIA GT Championship (2008)
Súper TC2000 (2008–2014, 2017–2018)
Turismo Nacional (1978, 1980, 2018)
Top Race V6 (2013–2014)
Turismo Carretera (1978, 1987, 2009)
Full Circuit (2008–2024)
Length6.270 km (3.896 miles)
Turns22
Race lap record2:14.173 (Netherlands Yelmer Buurman, Corvette C6.R, 2011, GT1)
Original Circuit (1978–1987)
Length6.206 km (3.856 miles)
Turns18

History

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The circuit was originally constructed in 1978 as a semi-permanent venue, with a length of 6.206 km (3.856 mi).[1] It was created by modifying the ring road that encircles Lake Potrero de los Funes at the course's center, and featured substantial elevation changes along with a variety of different types of corners. After hosteing a round of Turismo Carretera on 15 August 1987, but two separate crashes which resulted in the deaths of two spectators and an injured driver led to the track being abandoned.

 
Turns 16, 17 and 18 at Potrero de los Funes.

The track was re-opened in 2008 as a venue for the FIA GT Championship. The circuit was modified, with two chicanes added due to a lack of run-off area as well as the tightening of the final corner to create a safer pit entry – extending the circuits' length to 6.270 km (3.896 mi). Belgians Bert Longin and Anthony Kumpen won the first San Luis 2 Hours in their Saleen S7R. The circuit went on to host two rounds of the FIA GT1 World Championship in 2010 and 2011, along with local series such as TC2000 and Turismo Nacional.

The final round held at the circuit was in 2018 for TC2000. Following years of disuse, the circuit was dismantled in 2024.[2][3]

Major events

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Year Race Category Winner Results
2008 TC 2000 at Potrero de los Funes TC2000   José María López Results
2008 San Luis 2 Hours FIA GT Championship   Bert Longin
  Anthony Kumpen
Results
2009 Gran Premio Provincia de San Luis Turismo Carretera   Juan Bautista de Benedictis Results
2009 Gran Premio Coronación TC2000   Gabriel Ponce de León
  Daniel Serra
Results
2010 Gran Premio Coronación TC2000   Matias Rossi Results
2010 San Luis 1 Hour FIA GT1 World Championship   Frédéric Makowiecki
  Yann Clairay
Results
2011 San Luis 1 Hour FIA GT1 World Championship   Francesco Pastorelli
  Yelmer Buurman
Results
2011 Gran Premio Province of San Luis TC2000   Fabián Yannantuoni Results

Lap records

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The fastest official race lap records at the Potrero de los Funes Circuit are listed as:

Category Time Driver Vehicle Event
Full Circuit: 6.270 km (2008–2024)[1]
GT1 2:14.173[4] Yelmer Buurman Chevrolet Corvette C6.R 2011 San Luis FIA GT1 round
GT2 2:20.319[5] Matías Russo Ferrari F430 GT2 2008 FIA GT San Luis 2 Hours
FIA GT Group 2 2:23.578[5] Renaud Kuppens Gillet Vertigo Streiff 2008 FIA GT San Luis 2 Hours
Súper TC2000 2:28.198[6] Facundo Ardusso Fiat Linea 2014 Potrero de los Funes Súper TC2000 round
Turismo Carretera 2:28.900[7] José María López Torino Cherokee 2009 Potrero de los Funes Turismo Carretera round
Formula Renault 2.0 2:30.649[8] Julián Santero Tito F4-A 2012 Potrero de los Funes Formula Renault Argentina round
Turismo Nacional Clase 3 2:41.419[9] Mariano Werner Fiat Linea 2018 Potrero de los Funes Turismo Nacional round
Turismo Nacional Clase 2 2:47.273[9] Luciano Bucci Ford Fiesta Kinetic 2018 Potrero de los Funes Turismo Nacional round

References

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  1. ^ a b "Potrero de los Funes - Racing Circuits". RacingCircuits.info. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Triste noticia: comenzaron a desarmar el circuito de Potrero de los Funes" (in Spanish). Carburando. 13 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Comenzó el desarmado del histórico circuito de Potrero de los Funes" (in Spanish). Diario El Norte. 13 February 2024.
  4. ^ "2011 San Luis FIA GT". Motor Sport Magazine. 6 November 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  5. ^ a b "FIA GT Championship San Luis 2008". 23 November 2008. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  6. ^ "2014 Súper TC 2000 Potrero de los Funes". 30 November 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Turismo Carretera Potrero de los Funes - 8ª fecha del 2009". 2 August 2009. Archived from the original on 24 September 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  8. ^ "FÓRMULA NACIONAL ARGENTINA 2018/ FECHA 04/Potrero de los Funes". 25 November 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Turismo Nacional - 55° Campeonato 2018 Potrero de los Funes - 1ª Fecha". 24 February 2018. Archived from the original on 24 September 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
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