Dorna, the organizers of MotoGP, announced a memorandum of understanding with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with future ambitions to bring a round of the championship to the Arab country as well as cultivate talent in the region as part of the collaboration program.
The agreement was revealed during the San Marino Grand Prix at Maisano last weekend, which was attended by Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al-Faisal, chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and the Saudi Motorsport Company.
There has been no confirmation of the deal’s parameters, including where and when they want to stage a race in the country, which presently lacks a homologated FIM track.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Formula One, which debuted in Saudi Arabia in 2021, races on a street track in Jeddah that would not be ideal for motorcycle racing. A new track, however, is being built at Qiddiya, on the outskirts of Riyadh, with FIM safety officer Loris Capirossi assisting in the development.
“We are excited to confirm the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Dorna today, which clearly outlines our shared goal of bringing MotoGP to Saudi Arabia. The addition of the world’s premier motorcycle racing series to our increasing lineup of world-class racing events makes perfect sense,” the prince stated.
The prince also said that they look forward to collaborating with Dorna to deliver on our shared promise to bring the pinnacle of two-wheeled racing to Saudi Arabia, as well as to continue to provide additional chances and initiatives to better the lives of all inhabitants.
According to Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, the arrangement represents a critical chance for the sport to develop in what he describes as an important and improving demographic.
Dorna stated that the collaboration will also result in a new talent development program for young Saudi riders, with the goal of developing future champions. As it works to enhance its image on the worldwide stage, Saudi Arabia is showing an increasing ambition to build a name for itself in the world of sport.
The idea has sparked outrage on social media, repeating F1’s charges of assisting Saudi Arabia in ‘sports washing’ its abysmal human rights record.
