Valencia agrees to alternating MotoGP rounds

Valencia has become the first of the current MotoGP circuits to sign a contract extension which does not guarantee one event per year.

Instead, the traditional season finale has agreed to host 'at least three grands prix' between 2022-2026.

'The Valencia GP is guaranteed to take place in 2022 and thereafter may alternate with other circuits on the Iberian peninsula until 2026' said a statement from Dorna Sports.

The other Spanish rounds currently on the MotoGP calendar are Barcelona, Jerez and Aragon but Portugal is also tipped to return in the near future.

“Dorna guarantees the Valencian community that, during these five years, there will be three grands prix at the track as a minimum," said Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports.

"As Valencia is the first in coming to this [rotation] agreement, it will be on the calendar in the first year that rotation begins, which is 2022.

“Valencia maintains the right to be the final Grand Prix on the calendar. I would like to be able to offer five more years with a guaranteed race but that is not possible. Nevertheless, I am proud to have once again come to an agreement with Valencia.”

The rotation of the Spanish (and possible Portuguese) rounds is being made 'due to the incredible global growth of MotoGP, with more and more venues signing up to become part of the world’s fastest motorcycle racing World Championship'.

As Ezpeleta highlighted, Valencia has been rewarded for being first to sign up to the new rotation system by being guaranteed at least 3 races out of the 5 years.

However, whichever circuit Valencia is 'partnered' with will be left with a maximum of just 2 races during the same period, providing a clear incentive for tracks to do an early deal.

The 2020 MotoGP calendar already features a largest-ever 20-rounds due to the addition of Finland but Indonesia (2021), Brazil (2022), Portugal (2022) and Hungary (2022) are also in the pipeline.