Texas lands MotoGP from 2013
Ten-year deal signed with a new circuit in Austin, which will also host Formula 1 racing tooMotoGP will be heading to Texas in 2013, following a 10-year contract signed for the road racing showpiece to be held at the new ‘Circuit of the Americas’ facility in Austin.
The circuit is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in mid-2012, in time for the first Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.
Former world 500 GP champion and proud Texan, Kevin Schwantz, has been instrumental in putting the deal together.
“For me this is a dream come true, that the MotoGP world championship will be in my home state of Texas,” said Schwantz. “I am such a believer in the sport and know how popular motorcycling is in Texas. I am sure that this will be a resounding long-term success.
“Having watched the development of this facility I am genuinely excited about it, and I think it’s going to be highly attractive. From a rider’s perspective, which is how I look at things, I think it’s going to be a great track. It’ll be really challenging, it’s going to be safe and it’s going to be a nice, long lap.
“As a rider you will have to work to be able to put good laps together in order to be able to stay at the front of the race. There are a lot of good things and for me it’s a very exciting prospect.
“We want to try and make the profile of MotoGP here in America just like it is in Spain and Italy. We want it to be one of the top two or three forms of sports over here.”
The new circuit will be a 20-turn 5.5km creation, with a 40m elevation change – third only behind Spa-Francorchamps and Suzuka on the F1 calendar. Racing will be in an anti-clockwise direction.
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