Circuit of The Americas today announced that the world’s premier motorcycle racing World Championship, MotoGP™, will join its roster of racing events next spring with the three-day series set for April 19-21, 2013, at the purpose-built Grand Prix venue.
MotoGP, the pinnacle of all motorcycle motorsports World Championships, consists of 18 races in 13 countries on four continents with pan-global television coverage. Nine nationalities of the world’s most skilled riders, including current U.S. riders Colin Edwards, Ben Spies and 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden, compete with cutting-edge, prototype motorcycle technology produced by Ducati, Yamaha and Honda, as well as the new CRT regulation machines from the likes of FTR, Suter and Aprilia. The series traditionally holds three races during each event for various classes of motorcycles based on engine size. Circuit of The Americas will be the third U.S. venue to host a MotoGP race in 2013, joining those already scheduled for Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California.
Carmelo Ezpeleta, chief executive officer for Dorna Sports, commercial rights holder for the MotoGP series, is extremely happy to add the Austin Circuit to the official MotoGP schedule.
"We are excited to be working with Circuit of The Americas to expand our programming in the United States and bring our series to an exceptional new Grand Prix facility in Texas. We see tremendous opportunities to market MotoGP and grow its fan-base through this agreement and know Circuit of The Americas is the right promoter to help us achieve that goal."
Circuit President Steve Sexton added: "The Circuit of The Americas team is delighted to introduce yet another world-renowned racing series to our 2013 event calendar, one we know will be hugely popular with fans coming to experience MotoGP for the first time at our state-of-the-art sports and entertainment complex in Austin. MotoGP has a worldwide fan base with more than two million fans watching races in person each year. We’re confident it will be a great addition to our programming and draw tens of thousands of people to Central Texas, creating yet another major event with significant economic impact for our region."
MotoGP’s reach extends to more than 200 countries and territories that receive live or same-day delayed broadcasts of the MotoGP events, with the coverage delivered to more than 337 million households worldwide.
About Circuit of The Americas
Circuit of The Americas will be a world-class destination for performance, entertainment, education and business. It will be the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the United States designed for any and all classes of racing, from motor power to human power, and be the U.S. home to the 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ Nov. 16-18.
The Circuit of The Americas’ master plan features a variety of permanent structures designed for business, education, entertainment and race use. Its signature element will be a 3.4-mile circuit track. Other support buildings will include an expansive outdoor live music space, a conference centre, a banquet hall as well as a state-of-the-art medical facility. Future proposed amenities include a driving/riding experience, a motorsports driving club, kart track, grand plaza event centre and tower, and a trackside recreational vehicle park. For more information and downloadable video, audio and photos, visit: CircuitofTheAmericas.
About MotoGP
Established as a World Championship by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) in 1949, MotoGP is now into its 63rd year. It is the pinnacle of motorcycle championships in the world and the premier-class of three racing classes that take to the track on a typical Grand Prix weekend. MotoGP has been administrated by commercial rights holder Dorna Sports under the supervision of governing body, the FIM, since 1992.
MotoGP has a rich history with Grand Prix events having taken place in every corner of the world. Italy, Japan, Great Britain, Spain, the United States and Australia are just some of the nationalities that have produced high numbers in terms of race victories and world titles in its long history.
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