A look at the go-kart track in l’Escala where Fernando Alonso was once coached.
A go-kart on the track in l’Escala. Photo by Euskaltrial Txirrindulari Kluba.
As you approach l’Escala from the direction of Estartit/Torroella de Montgrí you might notice a couple of landmarks before the roundabout.
After passing through Bellcaire there are fields on either side of the road. Then in the distance on the right you’ll see a cluster of ancient stone farm buildings.
But we’re interested in right now is what lies on the left. There’s a two storey building with a glazed square upper level. And as you get closer you can see it’s a circuit and if you’re lucky you’ll see some go-karts whizzing around the track.
The 750 metre l’Escala go-kart track is open every day throughout the year and has a bar of the upper storey from where you can observe what is happening on the track. You can hire a go-kart for six, twelve or eighteen minutes at a time with karts designed for both children and adults. You can also test drive a competition spec kart or rent the track for a day to drive your own kart.
It’s the track where Fernando Alonso started his karting career. The story goes something like this...
Back in 1993 the owner of Go-Karts l’Escala supplied a new go-kart track in Asturias. Josep Marcó owned both the l’Escala circuit and one in Estartit and was on the lookout for young drivers to coach. So he asked the promoter of the Asturias circuit if they had any promising talent.
A couple of weeks later Marcó picked up a 12 year old boy from Barcelona airport who had been racing go-karts since he was 3. It was Fernando Alonso.
Within a matter of days Alonso raced for the first time in Catalonia. It was the final of the Catalan championship and despite all his rivals being older, Alonso won the race.
Marcó realised he had a potential champion on his hands and so coached and funded Alonso’s karting career over a period of six seasons. During that time he won four Spanish championships consecutively before moving to the Euro Open by Nissan in 1999.
After competing in International Formula 3000 the following year he broke into Formula One for Minardi in 2001. He was crowned F1 champion in 2005 and 2006 racing for Renault.
For more information visit the track’s website
