Motorland Aragon clinches long-term MotoGP deal

The popular Motorland Aragon circuit in Spain has secured a long-term place on the MotoGP calendar having signed a deal with Dorna today to host a race until at least the end of 2016.

The new Spanish circuit featured on the calendar for the first time in 2010 when it was used as a substitute race following the failed completion of the new Balatonring in Hungary.

The track was an immediate hit, universally praised for its technical and challenging layout and state-of-the-art facilities.

It became the first venue to collect the prestigious IRTA ‘Best Grand Prix’ at the first attempt with a crowd of over 115,000 attending the race over three days last September.

The addition of the Motorland Aragon race last season saw further criticism aimed at Dorna for the world championship becoming too heavily biased towards Spain and Italy.

One third of the series is currently run in the two countries with Jerez, Catalunya, Motorland Aragon and Valencia featuring from Spain and Mugello and Misano staging the Italian races.

Several new races though are in the pipeline with Abu Dhabi hotly tipped to form part of a special Middle East Bike Week at the start of the 2012 season with Qatar.

India is bidding to get on the MotoGP calendar too and a race at a new track in Austin, Texas has also been rumoured.