New Calgary Race Circuit Designed By Hermann Tilke To Open This Summer

After going 10 years without a nearby race track, motoring enthusiasts in and around Calgary, Alberta will again be able to burn rubber this summer with the opening of Rocky Mountain Motorsports Park, designed by none other than Hermann Tilke.

Tilke is, of course, the most prominent (and controversial) Formula One track designer today. He’s one of just four designers recognized by the FIA and has penned courses such as the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, the Circuit of the Americas in Texas and the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, among many others. So it’s quite a coup for the local group to get such an esteemed designer.

The track, located in Carstairs about a 25-minute drive north of Calgary, will cost $25 million raised with private funding. The planned 2.2-mile, 16-corner circuit will be Formula Two grade and is described by Rocky Mountain Motorsports (RMM) as a ‘precision combination of full-throttle straights, pad-screaming braking points, and 36 metres of elevation change’. There will of course be private garages and a large paddock area, while future plans include a clubhouse, restaurant, and recreation facilities.

RMM’s plan is to sell private memberships for the course, with members having exclusive access for half the time and the track being available to private groups for the other half. If you’re interested, pre-construction membership prices are $37,500 Cd for Gold and $52,000 Cd for Platinum; Diamond prices are not listed publicly, but they include investment in the track’s shares, so searching for quarters in the couch cushions probably won’t help you there.

*Images courtesy of Rocky Mountain Motorsports and Hermann Tilke