Circuit Moulay El Hassan – Marrakech WTCC and Formula E Guide
Originally published November 2016. Last updated September 2026: expanded Tier B circuit guide, facts table, table of contents, internal links, FAQ schema, and editorial refresh while preserving legacy narrative and images.
Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan is a semi-permanent street course on the southern edge of Marrakech, Morocco — named for Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan and built to bring WTCC and Formula E racing to North Africa. Opened in 2009 with a long anticlockwise layout, it was redesigned by Hermann Tilke in 2016 into a tighter 3-km lap that still mixes public roads with permanent pit infrastructure.
The circuit matters because it ended a half-century gap since Morocco last hosted international motorsport: WTCC became a regular Marrakech fixture, Auto GP and Formula 2 tested the venue, and Formula E brought electric open-wheel racing to the Maghreb in 2016 and 2018.
Compare street and semi-permanent venues with Surfers Paradise Street Circuit, Macau Guia Circuit, and Monaco Grand Prix circuit.
Contents
Circuit Moulay El Hassan facts
| Location | Route d’Ourika, Marrakech, Morocco (about 5 km south of city centre) |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Marrakech Street Circuit, Marrakech Racetrack |
| Circuit type | Semi-permanent street course (FIA Grade 2) |
| Opened | 2009 (first international race) |
| Current layout (since 2016) | About 3.0 km, 14 turns, anticlockwise |
| Original layout (2009–2015) | 4.624 km, 15 turns |
| Formula E configuration | About 2.97 km, 12 turns (2016–2018) |
| Spectator capacity | About 10,000 |
| Operator | Marrakech Grand Prix (MGP) |
| Listed Auto GP lap record (old layout) | 1:28.450 — Narain Karthikeyan (2013) |
Layout note: WTCC, Formula E, and Auto GP used different track lengths. Compare lap times only within the same configuration.
Map of the Marrakech circuit after the 2016 Tilke redesign
Temporary street circuit in Marrakech
Morocco had little modern circuit racing when planners targeted Marrakech as a showcase venue. The Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan — honouring the Crown Prince — was meant to grow local participation and attract international series.
Construction of the Marrakech pit and paddock complex
D3 Motorsport and the 2009 layout
Operator MGP worked with D3 Motorsport Development — the group behind Surfers Paradise and Durban street circuits — to complete the first course in the modern city district. More than 2,500 concrete barriers and debris fences lined the route.
The original anticlockwise lap measured 4.624 km with 15 turns: a simple, almost oval shape with a hairpin and chicanes on narrow straights. Narain Karthikeyan holds the quoted Auto GP lap record of 1:28.450 from 2013 on that configuration.
Hermann Tilke redesign for 2016
The 2016 layout by Hermann Tilke replaced much of the old course while reusing selected sections. The new lap is about 3 km with 14 turns — tighter, more technical, and closer to a permanent circuit feel than the 2009 design.
Permanent pits and paddocks replaced temporary assembly buildings. The venue is homologated as FIA Grade 2, allowing international touring-car and GT categories while encouraging Moroccan club racing on non-event weekends.
WTCC action with the Atlas Mountains behind Marrakech
WTCC round of Morocco
World Touring Car Championship machinery first tested Marrakech in 2009 — the first major international race in Morocco since the 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix. WTCC returned annually except 2011, when financial issues cancelled the round.
WTCC helped establish Marrakech on the world touring-car map
Formula E and Auto GP
Auto GP raced at Marrakech from 2012 to 2014. The FIA Formula E Championship arrived in November 2016 and returned in January 2018 on a slightly shorter 2.97-km, 12-turn configuration adapted for electric single-seaters.
Open-wheel categories have used several Marrakech layouts
2010 Formula 2 crash
The FIA Formula 2 Championship visited in 2010 but was dropped after one weekend deemed unsuitable for the cars. Ricardo Teixeira survived a spectacular accident when his car launched over a chicane and three rivals before hitting the wall; no serious injuries were reported.
Getting to Marrakech
Marrakech is one of Morocco’s main tourist cities, with wide hotel choice year-round. The circuit lies about 5 km south of the medina, close to Marrakech Menara Airport, which also links to Casablanca. Confirm current race calendars before travel — WTCC became WTCR and later left the venue; Formula E has not returned since 2018.
Frequently asked questions about Circuit Moulay El Hassan
Where is Circuit Moulay El Hassan?
The Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan is on Route d’Ourika on the southern outskirts of Marrakech, Morocco — about 5 km from the city centre and close to Marrakech Menara Airport.
When did the Marrakech circuit open?
The first international race on the venue was held in 2009, ending a long gap since Morocco’s last major motorsport event in 1958.
How long is Circuit Moulay El Hassan?
The 2016 Tilke layout is about 3.0 km with 14 turns. The original 2009 course measured 4.624 km, and Formula E used a 2.97-km configuration.
Who designed the current Marrakech layout?
Hermann Tilke prepared the 2016 redesign, replacing much of the first layout while keeping selected sections of the original street course.
Did WTCC race at Marrakech?
Yes. The World Touring Car Championship tested Marrakech in 2009 and returned annually except 2011, when the round was cancelled for financial reasons.
Did Formula E race in Marrakech?
Yes. Formula E visited in November 2016 and again in January 2018 on a shortened 12-turn layout. No further Formula E rounds have been scheduled at the venue since.
Who holds the Auto GP lap record at Marrakech?
Narain Karthikeyan set 1:28.450 during Auto GP in 2013 on the longer original layout.
What FIA grade is Circuit Moulay El Hassan?
The venue is homologated as FIA Grade 2, allowing international touring-car and GT categories on the semi-permanent course.
What happened in the 2010 Formula 2 race at Marrakech?
Ricardo Teixeira’s car flew over a chicane and other cars before hitting the wall. He was unhurt, but the championship dropped Marrakech after deeming the layout unsuitable for Formula 2.
How do you get to the Marrakech circuit?
Fly into Marrakech Menara Airport or travel by road from Casablanca. Hotels are plentiful in Marrakech; confirm whether a race meeting is scheduled before booking, as international series visits have been intermittent since the late 2010s.
Morocco’s semi-permanent street stage
From WTCC touring cars to Formula E, Moulay El Hassan brought world championship racing back to Morocco — a Tilke-refined lap wrapped in Atlas Mountain scenery.
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Address: Route d’Ourika, Marrakech, Morocco
Phone: +212 659 639849
Official website: marrakechgrandprix.com