The home of MotoGP in Andalusia, Circuito de Jerez, Dorna Sports’s most successful project from scratch, has received a contract extension to host the Spanish MotoGP Grand Prix until the end of 2026.
The contract was already in effect until 2024, but was extended yesterday. Given Dorna’s plans to rotate racetracks on the calendar and possibly reduce the number of Spanish circuits in favor of new players, the new contract is a guarantee that the tradition established in 1987 – to hold the Spanish Grand Prix in early May in Jerez de la Frontera will be saved no matter what.
Spanish Grand Prix – one of the key MotoGP events on the calendar Friday, April 23rd, Dorna Sports President Carmelo Espeleta arrived at the Circuito de Jerez, as well as the entire leadership of the regional government of Andalusia and the municipality of Jerez. During a small press conference, a new 5-year plan for the main Spanish motorcycle racing event was presented. MotoGP is back on track despite Europe’s controversial COVID-19 situation. Starting with the Portuguese Grand Prix, which took place right on schedule in Portimão on April 18, all the scheduled European Moto Grand Prix races are due to take place until September 19.
Circuito de Jerez was named Angela Nieto a few years ago. Unfortunately, the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix will again be held behind closed doors, without paddock guests and spectators. But local authorities hope this is the last such event in history.
The economy of the region, and in particular Jerez de la Frontera, is formed by only two sectors – winemaking and motor sports. Dorna Sports put together all the resources in the mid-80s to build a circuit in this place and make it the number 1 in all of Spain. Dorna found investors, secured the support of the Spanish government and the regional authorities. When the circuit was built in 1987 and the first Grand Prix races were held on it, no one thought it would be a turning point in the life of Jerez and all of Andalusia.