Brazil given six months to be ready for 2014 MotoGP

Brazil’s much anticipated return to the MotoGP world championship in 2014 will depend on strict construction deadlines being met months in advance of the planned race in late September.

Brasilia has been penciled in on the provisional 2014 calendar for September 28, but there are already concerns that a huge revamp of the existing dated facility at the Autodromo Internacional Nelson Piquet will not be ready in time.

MCN has learned that a decision on whether Brazil will be ready to return to the calendar for the first time since 2004 will be made by the opening round of next year’s campaign at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar in late March.

If a series of strict conditions have not been met and the revamp of the track is not on schedule, the race will be postponed and added to the 2015 schedule.

Organisers of the new Brazil project will not be given beyond March 23 next season to show they can be ready for the proposed race in September because decisions on the engine allocation can’t be taken any later.

MCN understands the MSMA (Motorcycle Sport Manufacturers Association) requested the deadline, as the potential calendar extension to 19 races would see Honda, Yamaha and Ducati need to increase the engine allocation from five to six.

In a recent interview with MCN, HRC boss Shuhei Nakamoto said an increase in the number of races beyond the current format of 18 would require a modification to the engine limit rule.

He said: “The number of races is critical to engine mileage, so with 19 or 20 you need extra engines and this is more cost. Even one race more we need six engines.”

MotoGP will definitely be returning to South America though next year with the new Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo in Argentina hosting the third race on April 27.