Home F1 MotoGP confirms return to Brazil in Rio de Janeiro from 2022 onward

MotoGP confirms return to Brazil in Rio de Janeiro from 2022 onward

10/10/2019

Dorna Sports announced MotoGP return to Brazil in Rio de Janeiro from 2022 onward in a new five-year deal.

After a teaser early in the week, Dorna Sports revealed the news, confirming the return of MotoGP in Brazil in Rio de Janeiro from 2022 onward, in a new five-year deal with Rio Motorsports, which will run through the 2026 season.

A preliminary deal was already signed with the organisers in July 2018 for the Brazilian GP, with the confirmation coming more than a year later. The news also comes at a time when F1 is speculated to move to the new to-be-built Deodoro venue.

The last Brazilian GP (250cc category) was held in 1992 at the Formula 1 venue in Interlagos, while Rio de Janeiro’s Autodromo Internacional Nelson Piquet circuit hosted MotoGP between 2002 and 2004 – and previously held the 500cc races from 1995 to 2001.

Upon the announcement, Marcelo Crivella, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, said: “The news that we already have a first competition for Rio’s new racetrack, MotoGP, confirmed for 2022, represents a great advance for our city.

“The construction of the Deodoro racetrack is a spectacular project, with an extraordinary investment that will generate 7,000 jobs and make Rio regain the leading role in major competitions. We will take development to a region of the city with many needs, which is the West Zone, and stimulate tourism.

“All this without the City putting a penny into the project, since the whole investment will be the responsibility of the concessionaire.” At the same time, JR Pereira, CEO of Rio Motorsports said: “Dorna was an extremely loyal partner in every conversation we had.

“Now that we have completed the local environmental impact studies and the commission that will look into the matter is in place, following the regulatory policies of INEA (Rio de Janeiro State Environment Agency), it has been possible to formalize an agreement that has been built for over two years.

“We are very grateful to Carmelo and his team that we can realize the dream of bringing MotoGP back to Rio.” And finally, Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports added: “I’m very proud to announce that MotoGP will be returning to race in Rio de Janeiro, one of the world’s truly iconic cities and in such an amazing country.

“Brazil is an important market for motorcycles, motorcycle racing and motorsport, with a history to be proud of – and a future that I’m excited to see MotoGP play such a vital part as we return in 2022.” The announcement means a calendar expansion for MotoGP.

The championship already has Finland joining in 2020 and Indonesia is expected to fit in as well in the coming seasons. The 2022 season is already being marketed as the biggest calendar in MotoGP history with 22 grand prix races.

Check out the details of the first announcement regarding Brazil