MotoGP looks set to return to Hungary for the first time since 1992 with Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta having signed an agreement for the country to host MotoGP from 2023.
Ezpeleta signed the agreement with József Pacza, the CEO of the Kelet Magzarorszàg Versenypálya Kft sports facilities operator, on Monday morning, with the venue set to be a new race circuit located near the city of Debrecen in eastern Hungary.
Little is currently known about the layout and length of the new circuit, with construction likely to get underway soon in preparation for the nations first premier motorcycle grand prix in three decades.
In a press conference conducted in June 2020 László Palkovics- Minister of national innovation and technology in Hungary- revealed the new track would also house state of the art facilities including a training centre, conference centre as well as a hotel.
The whole enterprise is projected to cost around 186 million euros (approximately £1.608 million), with the target of the new project to turn eastern Hungary into the countries new automotive centre- with Formula 1 events also mooted as a possible future expansion for the facility.
Palkovics cited 2007 125cc world champion Gabor Talmacsi-so far the only Hungarian motorcycle world champion-as one of the key reasons for Hungary’s return to hosting MotoGP, saying Talmacsi’s lightweight title success put the nation on the motorcycle racing map.
Hungary hosted two events at current Formula 1 venue-the Hungaroring- back in 1990 and ’92, with Mick Doohan and Eddie Lawson winning the premier class contests for Honda and Cagiva respectively.
