MotoGP: Catalunya set for resurfacing and return to old layout

The bosses of Barcelona’s Montmelò circuit have confirmed that the home of the Catalan Grand Prix will be fully resurfaced and returned to it’s original layout for next year’s race, following a stark warning last week from MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta about the future of the race.

He told local media that the championship’s home race shouldn’t be confident of their position in the calendar following a host of rider complaints about the track after this year’s race.

Foremost among those was issues with grip, especially in the high-temperature conditions the race normally runs in, with a number of riders saying that they would even be prepared to boycott the race if they found track conditions had deteriorated considerably over the winter at the well-used track that MotoGP shares with Formula One.

TOP STORIES

• The best small adventure bikes you can buy
• Watch: Guy Martin take on the Spa Bikers’ Classic
• Carl Fogarty and Gary Johnson star at DirtQuake
• Floreat Energies Lithium Phosphate Racing Battery RBF400 and charger review
• Moto3: Kent unsure what the future brings

However, even more welcome will be the news that the new chicane, introduced for this year’s race following the tragic death of Luis Salom at the circuit’s final corner in 2016, will also not be used. Instead, circuit bosses have confirmed that they will move the last corner grandstand further around the bend, allowing the fast sweeping original corner beloved by many MotoGP riders to be instead used.

The work will be carried out over the winter months, and could well see the series head to the track for unofficial testing before next year’s race in order for one-make tyre manufacturer Michelin to gather valuable data.

Looking for the perfect two-wheeled companion? Visit MCN Bikes For Sale website or use MCN’s Bikes For Sale App.