MotoGP protects Barcelona GP, putting other races in Spain and Portugal in doubt

MotoGP has revealed that it’s going to host not more than two races in Spain and Portugal from 2027 after signing a brand new contract with Barcelona.

On Wednesday, MotoGP introduced that it had agreed phrases with Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to maintain the Catalan GP on the calendar till 2031. 

It’s a five-year deal that can come into impact following the top of the present settlement, which runs via the top of the 2026 season.

MotoGP has additionally clarified that Barcelona won’t enter a rotation system, unlike Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, and can stay an annual fixture on the calendar effectively into the beginning of the brand new decade.

Based on MotoGP, Barcelona will likely be certainly one of solely two circuits within the Iberian Peninsula that can stay on the calendar when the collection’ new 850cc engine period begins in 2027.

This can mark a large discount in MotoGP’s presence within the area, with 4 grands prix going down in Spain this yr (Barcelona, Jerez, Valencia, Aragon) and one other one in Portugal (Portimao).

Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta stated that with the altering occasions circuits have to supply greater than aggressive racing to be able to justify their place on the calendar.

“It is crucial to make a profession, but it surely’s not nearly racing,” he stated. “The involvement of the federal government of the territories we’re going to is essential and Catalunya has proven us that they’re on the entrance line. 

“The races are an important factor, however you must have a complete atmosphere for the grand prix to have a return that justifies the funding.

“We’ve realised that it’s sophisticated. In precept it’s not going to enter into rotations, but it surely relies on how issues go, on the curiosity, not solely right here. Possibly in different international locations.

“Now we’ve round 28 circuits that need a MotoGP grand prix, and we will solely do 22. You need to take a look at the international locations, the place. It goes with out saying that there needs to be a protected circuit and a company, we have to see the added worth to make sure that it’s not solely a sporting occasion.”

Ezpeleta denied that the discount of races in Spain/Portugal was an imposition of Liberty Media, which is within the strategy of taking on a majority stake in Dorna.

“No, we’ve been saying that for a very long time. We will not simply be fashionable in Europe,” he defined. 

“When Dorna took the world championship, there have been solely three races exterior Europe. We’ve elevated these grands prix and subsequent yr we are going to go to Brazil, which is a elementary market. We’ve to make it possible for the grands prix are a advertising and marketing device for our producers to promote bikes, which is what it is all about.”

Ezpeleta reiterated that “22 grands prix is the quantity we’ve set as a most per season,” however he didn’t need to reveal the identification of all circuits on the danger of being dropped from the schedule.

“It isn’t about those that are going to go away, however about those that are going to reach,” he stated. “The thought is to take away two or three races on the peninsula, but it surely relies upon, perhaps we will hold some extra.”