MotoGP bid to make inroads into Saudi Arabia

Article posted by Coliseum, September 9^th, 2022

Image: Qiddiya

Sports league MotoGP has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to race in Saudi Arabia, the sport’s commercial rights holder Dorna said on September 5^th.

‘Reuters’ stated that MotoGP said a future Saudi Arabian Grand Prix would be held on a newly constructed multipurpose circuit, without specifying where.

The Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme.

Mies (Switzerland)-based the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme is the global governing/sanctioning body of motorcycle racing. It represents 116 national motorcycle federations that are divided into six regional continental unions.

Dorna Sports, S.L. is the commercial rights holder for the motorcycling sport of Grand Prix racing. Established in 1988 as an international sports management and marketing company, it is headquartered in Madrid (Spain).

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is a Formula One motor racing event which took place for the first time in 2021. The inaugural edition of the race was held in Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia. It was the fifth full-night race title on the Formula One calendar, following the Singapore, Bahrain, Sakhir (Governorate of Bahrain), and Qatar Grands Prix.

Dorna said in a statement, “The addition of Saudi Arabia to the MotoGP calendar on an annual basis will see the sport expanding further into the Middle East.”

‘Reuters’ further stated that MotoGP has raced in the region since 2004 with a floodlit night Grand Prix in Qatar.

Dorna said the partnership would also produce a new talent development program for young Saudi riders with the aim of producing champions of the future.

Saudi Arabia made its Formula One debut last December as part of a 15-year-deal and the country also hosts the annual Dakar Rally (an annual rally raid organized by the Amaury Sport Organisation), all-electric Formula E (the world’s first all-electric international single-seater championship) and Extreme E (off-road racing series).

Said Dorna head honcho Carmelo Ezpeleta, “The region is a key market for motorsport and the demand in the Kingdom for events of this kind is growing with research showing that 80 percent of Saudi fans wanting to see more in their country.”

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