– Buenos Aires could become the scene of a MotoGP test later this year, according to current considerations by those responsible. The background is the planned return of the premier class to the Argentine capital in early 2027. MotoGP last raced there in 1999.
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Fabian Turnes, Sports Secretary of the city of Buenos Aires, confirms that a test run in November is already playing a role internally. However, there have not yet been concrete talks with the MotoGP officials on this topic.
“That hasn’t been discussed yet. But it’s something we have in the back of our minds: to check whether we can organize a MotoGP test in November,” he explains to Motorsport.com, a partner site of Motorsport-Total.com.
Comeback in Brazil as a negative example
The considerations are no coincidence. With the most recent addition to the MotoGP calendar so far, the Brazilian Grand Prix last month, there were significant problems. Flooding in Goiania initially made preparation difficult before a sinkhole appeared after qualifying.
The most serious incident then followed on race Sunday: the asphalt broke up between turns 11 and 12, so the MotoGP race had to be shortened by eight laps.
To avoid such a scenario in Buenos Aires, the organizers are considering a test under real conditions. According to Turnes, the track could be largely completed by November. “If adjustments are still necessary then, we would have enough time to implement them,” he says.
This approach would certainly have a precedent. A test was already carried out before the first MotoGP race in Termas de Rio Hondo, in which Cal Crutchlow, Stefan Bradl and Alvaro Bautista, among others, took part at the time. Moto2 riders such as Tito Rabat and Nico Terol were also in action back then.
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“That is basically the idea we have,” says Turnes with a view to the test in Santiago del Estero at the time. From a rider’s perspective, too, such a test before debuting on a new track is likely to be seen as essential.
Bagnaia suggests trial run with test riders
Francesco Bagnaia recently emphasized: “Looking ahead, I think we definitely need a test before we race on a new track.”
The Italian pointed to the challenges that new tracks bring without prior testing. “Test riders have to ride beforehand, because it’s difficult to arrive directly at a new track like India 2023 or Goiania,” said Bagnaia.
He cited the circuit in Mandalika as a positive example, where testing also took place before the first Grand Prix in 2022. “That was very helpful because we understood the tires and realized they weren’t sufficient for the race weekend. So we had to change them. You can learn a lot through testing like that.”
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According to Bagnaia, the regular riders would not necessarily have to be used. “In my view, test riders are enough. When regular riders are on the track, they ride at the limit. Not all test riders go to the limit, but it’s definitely better than starting directly into a race weekend,” he thinks.
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