Dorna Sports has announced that MotoGP™ is officially returning to Argentina from next season to the newly built Termas de Rio Hondo circuit, which has just hosted a preliminary MotoGP™ and Moto2™ test.
National Tourism Minister Enrique Meyer was present alongside Dorna Managing Director Events Area, Javier Alonso, to finalize the contract, which will see the premier class of motorcycle racing return to Argentina for the first time since 1999 on a three-year deal.
Meyer commented: “It is a great honour to receive this championship in Argentina in addition to other sporting events that take place in our country such as the Dakar Rally. We hope that the Argentine public can enjoy the top class of motorcycle racing, which hasn’t come to our country since 1999, and we will do our best to make sure MotoGP stays in our country for a long time.”
During his visit to the track on Thursday, Meyer was accompanied by the Governor of the Province of Santiago del Estero, Gerardo Zamora, and the Executive Secretary of the National Institute of Tourism, Leonardo Boto. Together they toured the circuit facilities and greeted the riders of both categories.
Meyer added: “We are getting very good reviews from the riders in relation to the circuit, due to the high speed corners in which competitors test their abilities. We are excited to host this event [the test], which serves as preparation for the Grand Prix in 2014.”
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow put his YZR-M1 through its paces on the new circuit, which features 14 fast and technical corners.
“We have had an absolutely fantastic welcome in Argentina and after seeing the enthusiasm for MotoGP I’m really happy to be finally out on track to demonstrate what a spectacle the fans will see next year,” Crutchlow said. “The new track is very impressive and it is a really a good facility that Argentina can be very proud of.
“It's incredible how many spectators came to welcome us and see us riding. Hopefully we can put on a good show next year and have a fantastic race because it certainly looks like it will take place in front of a huge crowd.
“The track has a good mix of long and fast corners and some are tight, so it is very important to get into a good rhythm. I really like turn six, which is a long and downhill corner. That is really cool to ride and I think the whole of the MotoGP grid is going to come here and love the track.”
--From motogp.com
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