New digs for WSBK

MotorLand Aragon to host the FIM Superbike World Championship for the next three years



The newly-built MotorLand Aragon in Spain is set to host a round of the FIM Superbike World Championship for the next three years, following an agreement signed this morning. The circuit, which was designed by German architect Hermann Tilke, will now appear in the calendars of the two most important global motorcycling competitions; in spite of its short history, it will now be consolidated as one of the world's elite tracks, hosting the World Superbike round in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and following on from the MotoGP round in September of this year.



This morning an agreement was signed before the international press, in the Aragon regional government headquarters between MotorLand and Infront Motor Sports in the presence of MotorLand president and Aragon Government vice-president José Angel Biel, the regional minister of commerce, tourism and industry Arturo Aliaga, the CEO of MotorLand Antonio Gasión, the CEO of Infront Motor Sports Paolo Flammini, and the Ducati Superbike rider, Carlos Checa.



Paolo Flammini declared: "Motorland is a very new circuit and it's already at the top. To have MotoGP and Superbike in its first years of activity demonstrates that it is a top-level circuit. The Superbike World Championship requires requisites of maximum safety and top-class facilities to be in a position to guarantee the presence of high numbers of spectators and Motorland is able to offer all this."



Carlos Checa added: "Superbike races offer a well-balanced sporting spectacle and for this reason they are spectacular, also for everyone watching on TV. Motorland is a circuit that respects all the standards to host a world-class race. I am happy to be able to race Superbike here next year and I hope to win!"



The race in Alcaniz, close to Zaragoza in northern Spain, will take place in the spring of next year and also in 2012 and 2013.



ENDS

After further review, this track is not replacing Kyalami, its reported to be replacing Valencia. Kyalami is out also but not for reasons you might expect. The local government bought out the last 2 years of the contract with Infront, citing it would be cheaper to buy out the contract than host the events.

Yeah, Kyalami lost its major sponsor due to "global economic downturn" and after trying to find a way to self-sponsor the municipality chose to buy-out the contract. Apparently the door has been left open for a return to Kyalami if a sponsor is found...

povol said:

After further review, this track is not replacing Kyalami, its reported to be replacing Valencia. Kyalami is out also but not for reasons you might expect. The local government bought out the last 2 years of the contract with Infront, citing it would be cheaper to buy out the contract than host the events.

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I'm glad if it replaces Valencia.

Along with Qatar & Miller Motorsports Park, they got to be the dullest tracks on the calendar

SprogTheDog said:

I'm glad if it replaces Valencia.

Along with Qatar & Miller Motorsports Park, they got to be the dullest tracks on the calendar

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I've never been much of a fan of Valencia, but the racing has been fairly good there. I'm sure it would be a good track to watch from the stands (small size, stadium setting all around it).



I'm ok with Qatar, although it does seem very contrived, it still lends to pretty decent racing. Also it's a good place to show off straight line speed (another aspect to the bike).



I've attended the WSBK event the last two years at Miller, the "Full" track is quite cool, but unfortunately the WSBK round was not using it (most likely due to the AMA who were using it the first time they came). I would love it if they decided to use the full layout this year, but I'm guessing the teams would rather stick with past data.

Bootsakah said:

I've never been much of a fan of Valencia, but the racing has been fairly good there. I'm sure it would be a good track to watch from the stands (small size, stadium setting all around it).



I'm ok with Qatar, although it does seem very contrived, it still lends to pretty decent racing. Also it's a good place to show off straight line speed (another aspect to the bike).



I've attended the WSBK event the last two years at Miller, the "Full" track is quite cool, but unfortunately the WSBK round was not using it (most likely due to the AMA who were using it the first time they came). I would love it if they decided to use the full layout this year, but I'm guessing the teams would rather stick with past data.

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I was at Miller and it is a great track IMO. I wonder why they did not use the full course for 2009 since AMA was not there that weekend (or at all).??