Phakisa
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| Location | Welkom, Free State, South Africa |
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| Broke ground | September 1998 |
| Opened | October 10, 1999 |
The Phakisa Freeway (Phakisa means "hurry up" in Sotho language) is an international standard, multi-purpose motorsport facility situated in the heart of the Welkom region of the Free State in South Africa. Construction of the facility commenced in September 1998, on the site of the old Goldfields Raceway. By late April 1999 the circuits and paddock facilities had been completed and the first National Race event was held a mere 6 months after work had started. The entire facility was completed in time to host the penultimate leg of the 1999 World Chanpionship, on 10th October 1999. The track boasts a 4.24-kilometre (2.63 mi) road course as well as a 1.5-mile (2 km) banked oval track similar to the highly acclaimed Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada.
The Grand Prix road course was designed in conjunction with officials of the FIM and is rated as one of the safest circuits on the GP tour. It is 12 m wide throughout and has 14 turns, 5 left and 9 right-hand. Although the straights are relatively short and the top speed is slower than on many tracks, the circuit has no chicanes which makes for a fast and flowing ride.
The course is a riders' track where skill counts for more than horsepower. In the first GP in 1999, when none of the riders knew the track, the experienced Max Biaggi prevailed on a bike that had not done too well up to then. In the 2000 MotoGP, Garry McCoy scared everyone by going round sideways pulling off an unexpected underdog win. The talented Valentino Rossi won the 250cc class convincingly in 1999 and set up the quickest race lap on his first outing in the 500cc class in 2000, before crashing out just before the half-way mark. Starting as the pre-event favourite in 2001, Rossi had to set new lap records in the closing stages of the race to keep out fellow Italian, Loris Capirossi, treating the 35,000 spectators to the best on-track action in the Phakisa Freeway's history.
MotoGP, organisers of the World Grand Prix circuit, the riders, their retinues and sponsors have pronounced Phakisa, along with its staff and facilities, to be a superb venue and rate the track as one of the best in the world. Despite this, MotoGP ceased all racing at the circuit after the 2004 season.
[edit] Track statistics
Length: 4,242 m (2.64 mi)
Width: 12 m (39.37 ft)
Longest straight: 413 m (0.3 mi)
Shortest straight: 36 m (118.1 ft)
Shortest radius corner: 40 m (131.2 ft)
Elevation difference:6.3 m (20.7 ft)
Elevation above sea-level: 1,350 m (0.84 mi)
Geographical co-ordinates: 27.54' south 26.43' east
[edit] External links
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