MotoGP could be headed back to Brazil. That is the news coming out of the Catalan GP, as Dorna and Rio Motorsports have inked a preliminary agreement to add the South American round to the MotoGP calendar.
If the deal is followed through, it could mean a MotoGP race in Rio de Janeiro as early as the 2021 season.
The big “if” in all this is the building of a new race track near Rio de Janeiro, which once it passes homologation, it could “potentially” be added to the MotoGP calendar as the Brazilian GP, according to a press release from Dorna.
“We would be thrilled to see MotoGP return to Brazil and this memorandum of understanding is fantastic news for the Championship and South American fans,” said Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports.
“We have a truly global sport, paddock and grid and to add another country to our calendar – especially one such as Brazil – is always something to aspire to. It would be a pleasure for MotoGP to race in a country and continent known for its passion and incredible atmosphere.”
Time will tell whether the Brazilian GP comes to reality. Though one thing is clear, with Finland set to join the calendar in 2019, MotoGP is keen on branching beyond its current list of venues – with Brazil a strong choice for the MotoGP Championship.
With the South American market a strong region for motorcycle sales, motorcycle manufacturers are keen to capitalize on Brazil, as it continues to be a leading emerging market in the region.
Of course, MotoGP has been here before – and I’m not talking about Brazil, though that’s true – with the premier motorcycle series making vague deals with venues before a hosting track has even been built.
In some ways, this is a necessary evil, as construction on a new racing facility often cannot get underway without some assurances that events will actually be held at the locale.
Unfortunately for MotoGP and other racing series, plans for new race tracks don’t always work out, with the recent disaster for the Circuit of Wales still fresh on everyone’s mind. We shall see what develops in Brazil, no pun intended.
Source: MotoGP
