OFFICIAL | Portimão to host final round of 2020 MotoGP season
After the rumours we reported last week, Portimão has officially been confirmed as the final round of the 2020 MotoGP championship
THE final round of the 2020 MotoGP championship will be taking place at the Portimão circuit on the south coast of Portugal.
The final round, now taking place after the previous season finale host of Valencia, is slated to take place between the 20th and 22nd November, the first time the championship has been back to Portugal since 2012.
The Portimão circuit is a refreshing change from the current crop of MotoGP mega-tracks, with massive elevation changes that liken the course to a high-speed rollercoaster; the thought of 250bhp MotoGP machines taking to the Portuguese track is an exciting prospect indeed. The layout is more of an old-school design, a nice break from the dead flat and mostly featureless layouts that seem to dominate the championship.
The circuit has been on the MotoGP reserve tracklist since 2017, and given that it has hosted WSBK since 2008, making it an easy event to adjust for the MotoGP teams, riders, and organisers.
FIM President Jorge Viegas said:
"I am very proud that MotoGP will return to my country eight years after the last Grand Prix, which took place at the Circuito do Estoril in May 2012. I would like to warmly thank Dorna, the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve and the Motorcycling Federation of Portugal for having managed to meet the necessary conditions for the organisation of the finale of the 2020 FIM Grand Prix World Championship to take place in Portugal."
Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said:
"It’s big news for us, we signed an agreement in 2017 with Portimao to be the reserve circuit for any kinds of cancellations, and we’ve been in contact with them all this time. We’ve been to Portimão with Superbike and we think it’s an amazing possibility for us, and also in the agreement is that the track will be resurfaced after the Superbike round. When we explained this to the riders they were excited because they’ve seen the track on TV, but we’ve never been there.
"Portugal has a long history in our sport and there have been some historic battles in Estoril. It’s something very good for us to have the possibility to go back to Portugal, especially with Miguel Oliveira participating as it’s great to have a Portuguese rider able to compete in his own country. We are extremely happy to be racing in Portimão at the end of the year."
The home fans will also have something to shout about come November, as Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira, racing for Red Bull KTM Tech 3, will be racing on his home turf in the premier class for the first time. As yet though there is still no confirmation on public attendance to the event.
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
