€8m deal overrides previous contract to secure a MotoGP circuit’s future
A good idea for MotoGP to abandon the idea of rotating some circuits?
Aragon will feature for at least three years in a row on the MotoGP calendar after a new deal was struck.
An €8m agreement was struck to guarantee a MotoGP round at Aragon in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Previously, the circuit was only due to host a race three times over five years as part of a rotation of Spanish locations.
Work began on April 1 to resurface the track at Motorland, one of the keys to the new deal.
The FIM demanded the kerbs to be replaced at Turns 7, 10, 15 and 17.
The work, due to be completed by June, will cost the local authorities an extra €6.2m.
But research conducted by the Aragon Institute of Development suggests that the economic impact of hosting a MotoGP round is worth €47m to the local area.
The 2024 round at Aragon is set for August 30-September 1.
Aragon is an autonomous region of north-east Spain, between the city of Valencia and the neighbouring country of Andorra.
Nobody has won more MotoGP grands prix at Aragon that Marc Marquez.
The six-time victor won in 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019.
The circuit didn't host a race last year. In 2022, it was won by Gresini's Enea Bastianini during his breakthrough campaign.
And the year prior, Francesco Bagnaia was victorious for Ducati.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
