– MotoGP’s return to Brazil also made negative headlines. Above all, the asphalt of the Autodromo Internacional de Goiania – Ayrton Senna caused problems. On Saturday, a hole formed on the start-finish straight, and on Sunday, the asphalt broke up in turns 11 and 12, forcing the MotoGP race to be shortened.
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The local authorities reacted immediately. Repair work on the asphalt began this week starting Monday (April 6). Subsequently, a curing phase of up to 30 days is necessary for the new asphalt surface on the repaired sections.
The local sports ministry announced that the race track will be ready again for all planned competitions from May. Races for the Brazilian Stock Car series and the local motorcycle championship Moto 1000 GP are planned for May.
Apart from the problems with the asphalt, the feedback from the MotoGP riders on the Goiania track was predominantly positive. “The most important thing is that we have to stay open,” emphasizes Marc Marquez, drawing a comparison with other new tracks.
“When we arrive at a new course, especially if it was built in a very short time, then something like that can just happen. That’s how it was in Mandalika in the first year, for example, when there were stones on the straight.”
“The asphalt was perhaps still a bit too fresh, but in the end, we saved the weekend and the safety conditions were good. The gravel in turns 11 and 12 affected all riders, so you had to adapt.”
Already during the race weekend, the question arose in the paddock whether it wouldn’t have been better if there had been test runs beforehand. Because then the asphalt problems might have already come to light.
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“I think,” says Francesco Bagnaia with a view to future new tracks, “that we absolutely have to carry out a test beforehand for the future. The test riders have to test the track, because when you come to a new track like in India or like in Goiania, it’s difficult.”
“In Indonesia, we had a test and realized that you only recognize the problems if you actually ride there. If you ride over a track with a road bike, you can’t recognize the limits. I think that has to change for the future.”
Would the test riders of the five MotoGP brands be sufficient, or would all regular riders have to carry out such a test in advance? “For me, test riders are sufficient,” Bagnaia thinks. “The test we conducted in Indonesia in 2022 was very valuable.”
The Superbike World Championship visited Mandalika for the first time at the end of 2021. A MotoGP winter test took place there in February 2022. Problems with the asphalt became apparent. Subsequently, the track was repaved from turn 17 to turn 5. This happened just shortly before the race weekend.
However, the new asphalt broke up again, which is why the Moto2 and MotoGP races had to be shortened. Michelin also provided different tires for the race weekend compared to the test. After the premiere year, there were no more problems in Indonesia.
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MotoGP promoter MSEG has a five-year contract with the Goiania race track in Brazil up to and including 2030.
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