News

motogp goes to indianapolis - confirmed

19/07/07

UK exclusive by David Miller

MotoGP will visit America twice next season with the official announcement that Indianapolis will host a round of the championship in September 2008 in a multi-year deal. And the circuit’s bosses have welcomed MotoGP with arms so open, they are building a brand new track (click here for details) for the occasion.

The agreement between IMS (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) and MotoGP rights holders Dorna Sports will see bikes race at the track – known as The Brickyard – for the first time in nearly a century.

It will take place on a brand new 16-turn, 2.601-mile (4.186 km) motorcycle road course at IMS that will feature the riders traveling anti-clockwise, the same direction as the facility's oval events.

"We welcome the excitement and passion of MotoGP racing and its fans to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP," said Joie Chitwood, IMS president and chief operating officer.

"The very first motorized race at IMS was on two wheels, so it's only fitting that motorcycles are returning as we approach the 100th anniversary of the track.
"Fans of MotoGP know just how thrilling this form of racing is, and our new road-course configuration will create even more side-by-side action and passing opportunities for the skilled riders."

The inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP will feature three days of on-track action starting Friday, September 12. The 125cc and 250cc classes also will compete as support series during the event.

"We are very happy to be able to add this event to the MotoGP calendar because tradition and history play such a big part in our sport, and nowhere in the world has as much motorsport history as Indianapolis," said Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta.

"The U.S. is obviously a very important market to us, and when we returned to Laguna Seca a couple of years ago for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, it was an instant success. The next step was to come to Indianapolis, and now to be able to say we have two MotoGP events in the United States shows just how far our sport has come in recent years. We hope that the Red Bull Indianapolis GP will be another success story, and we are already looking forward to next year's first event with anticipation."

Reigning world champion Nicky Hayden said: "I'm really excited about this race. It is great that Red Bull is committed to the growth of MotoGP in America, and coming to such an historic track like Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be really special to me. It's like my home race. I'm sure all of Owensboro will make the drive up north!"

Yamaha's Colin Edwards said: "For the U.S. fans, it's definitely an exciting time. MotoGP is really starting to take off over there, and now with two races we'll get a lot more exposure. I'm definitely looking forward to it. It's the Brickyard, and it's got racing history for as far back as you can remember! It has so many famous car races there that it's definitely time we got two wheels on the track!" 

Kenny Roberts Senior added: "Great news. Who wouldn't want to be at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? Indy for a motorcyclist, I was quite shocked. I had raced there (in Indianapolis) when I was younger at the Fairgrounds mile.

"This thing (MotoGP) is going straight up and has for a long time. In America, it means a lot. Just going to Indy is kind of exciting. Now to be a participant, because I grew up with people talking about the month of Indy, all the car guys we used to bump into. I ran around with Mario Andretti because he was in Europe around the same time I won the championship. Indy is a big part of history, as far as being a racer goes. MotoGP coming to Indy is a huge benefit. Now it's at Indy, it's going to be a big shot in the arm for getting us in the front door of where we need to be." 

And Matt Le Blanc (from something called Friends) said: ""It's great that they're adding Indy to the 2008 MotoGP season. Why stop there? There should be MotoGP races in the other 48 states!"

To comment on this story, go to our Forum