While MotoGP fans (and teams, and journalists) eagerly await the arrival of the 2012 MotoGP calendar, which is due to be announced at the next MotoGP round at Aragon, the outlines of next season are starting to become clear. The weekend of the Misano round saw two important announcements made about rounds expected to be on the calendar next year, but which had not yet been confirmed.
The least surprising of the two announcements is an extension with the Misano Circuit for another five years. The track so close to Valentino Rossi's home in Tavullia, and in a region that has produced a large number of top Italian races in all classes has been a popular venue with the teams and riders, and despite the limited crowd capacity of the venue, has seen strong attendance. The race is likely to be run at the same point in the year, on the first weekend of September, as the traditional end of the Italian vacation month of August.
Although the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was known to be very keen to extend their contract with MotoGP, the sticking point of the deal was the date of the race. The costs of shipping the bikes out to Laguna Seca, back to Europe for Brno, to the US once again for Indy, before returning a week later to Misano were deemed to be too high and an unnecessary waste. Dorna's preference was to run the two events back-to-back, with Indy on the weekend following the Laguna race. But with Laguna Seca's date inflexible, and falling on the same weekend as the Brickyard 400, one of the biggest events of the year for NASCAR, and a massive event even for a facility of the size and efficiency of IMS.�
But a deal was reached this weekend which will see Indianapolis remain on the calendar through 2014. A compromise for the schedule has finally been found by moving the Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP round forward a week to August 19th. The most likely scenario is that the Brno round will be pushed back to after the Indy race, allowing the equipment to be left in the US, saving a huge amount on shipping. The teams and riders would be forced to fly back to Europe in between the two US rounds, but that would still be a good deal cheaper than airfreighting the bikes and equipment back and forth to Europe. The move is also likely to be popular with European journalists, who will be able to take a road trip from one side of the country to the other.
In 2013, a third US round will be added to the MotoGP schedule, when the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas will host a round of MotoGP. The heat of summer means that Austin will most likely host the round either in the spring or later in the year, and it would make sense for it to be run in conjunction with Indianapolis, again saving air freight costs. Having three US rounds back to back is impractical for a number of reasons. But making two trips to the US, perhaps in conjunction with further overseas rounds, could be a way of containing costs into the future.
The press releases announcing the contract renewals follow below:
RED BULL INDIANAPOLIS GP MotoGP RACE STAYING AT IMS THROUGH 2014
INDIANAPOLIS, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011 - The Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP race will continue at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 2012-14 through an agreement reached between officials from IMS and Dorna Sports, the commercial rights holder for MotoGP.
The fifth annual Red Bull Indianapolis GP - featuring the high-tech, 200-mph motorcycles and the world's best riders of the MotoGP World Championship - is scheduled for Aug. 17-19, 2012, a week earlier than this year.
Tickets for the 2012 event can be purchased now by visiting www.imstix.com, calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or visiting the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street. Ticket office and phone hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.
Existing customers can renew tickets at www.imstix.com through Monday, Sept. 19.
"We're happy to welcome back the exciting action and colorful, daring riders of MotoGP to IMS," said Jeff Belskus, IMS president and chief executive officer. "This event brings a unique international flavor and style of racing to the Speedway that has become a solid, new tradition on our annual schedule. We're excited about the event's potential for continued growth into the future."
MotoGP fans will see new machinery in the premier class in 2012. Riders will compete on 1000cc prototype motorcycles, with more speed and power than the 800cc machines used since 2007.
There also will be at least three Americans on the MotoGP starting grid for the fifth consecutive year at IMS: 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden, 2010 Rookie of the Year Ben Spies and Colin Edwards. Hayden and Spies each are two-time podium finishers in the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, and Spies won the pole for the 2010 race.
"It's great news to hear that Indianapolis is going to stay on the calendar for another three years," Spies said. "As every rider knows, there's nothing more special than coming to a home race and putting it all on the line in front of your fans.
"I've had pretty exciting races there so far in GP, and there's so much history at the Brickyard, it's a pleasure to be a part of it. I hope it continues to be a platform to bring MotoGP to a bigger American audience."
World Championship support classes Moto2 and the new Moto3 will return to IMS in 2012. Other support classes will be announced in the future.
Misano all set for Round 13 as five-year contract renewal announced
Thursday proved to be a busy day at the Misano World Circuit as preparations for the Gran Premio Aperol di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini took shape.
Early in the day a renewal of the contract currently held between the circuit and Championship organisers Dorna Sports was announced until at least 2016, as San Marino Secretary of State for Tourism and Sport, Fabio Berardi, and Dorna Sports CEO, Carmelo Ezpeleta, attended a special press conference.
Commenting on the deal Mr Ezpeleta said: "It is a pleasure to be here to renew the contract with the Misano World Circuit, to continue working with the Republic of San Marino, Riviera di Rimini and Santamonica S.p.a. and to be able to sign a deal in an economic period such as this. We are highly satisfied with our relationship and we first started to speak about a renewal last year. The San Marino Grand Prix is a very important one for us and I am certain it will continue to get better and better with every year."
Source: http://www.motomatters.com/news/2011/09/05/misano_and_indianapolis_extend_motogp_co.html
Gregorio Lavilla Jorge Lorenzo Garry McCoy Jeremy McWilliams
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