Even More on Alonso and the McLaren Mercedes Visit

Fernando Alonso will be visiting Valencia 15 Jan
The Woking-based F1 team Mclaren have chosen Valencia for the official international presentation of their new team on Monday 15th January. The location: the City of Arts and Sciences. Where else? Their two new drivers, twice-World Champion and Spanish hero Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton and test drivers Pedro de la Rosa and Gary Paffet will take to the streets of our City for yet another event that puts VLC in the spotlight.
At a press conference yesterday, Gerardo Camps, councillor of Economy, Employment and Treasury, and president of the CAC (Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias) Board of Administration, David Serra, the Sports secretary and Miguel Dominguez spoke about Monday's itinerary and highlighted how the City is fast becoming one of the key host destinations for a whole variety of world events. The Generalitat Valenciana and Ayuntamiento hope to have the capacity to host any future extravaganzas that might come their way, and are prepared to offer the necessary resources to make this calibre of happening happen. It was Mclaren themselves who approached the City of Arts and Sciences a few months back, having chosen the complex as the perfect backdrop for the mini urban circuit that will be set up on Monday. The Science Museum will be the press room, as it was for the Pope's visit last year, for 200 international and 200 national and local journalists and television coverage will be by Telecinco, who have the rights to Formula One, and Eurosport.
The proceedings will start around 7 pm and go on to about 1am, with the fab four lapping the circuit and then Fernando Alonso getting in the driving seat of the new single-seater for a few more laps. A performance from Cirque du Soleil will follow, and a fireworks display will bring the day to a close - it could be no other way in Valencia!
This event is free for all, and parking is available at the shopping centres nearby - El Corte Ingles, Aqua and El Saler, all surrounding roads being closed off from 16h. There will be live feed on six 4000 watt, 35sqm screens around the circuit and on the grass in the gardens of the Hemisferic of everything from the races and Cirque du Soleil to the fireworks. Security measures are tight, 230 local police and the Ricardo Tormo Circuit at Cheste's firemen will be on hand should anything go awry.
This should be a fun evening for motor-lovers, residents of Valencia and visitors to the City, and as Miguel Dominguez said "A historical day for the Valencian Community". The Vodafone-Mclaren-Mercedes team will be training at Cheste for the rest of the week for anyone who wants to pop up and take a closer look at 5 € a head.
Anita Darling