From 1 to 3 September, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will keep its annual appointment with the MotoGP™ family by holding the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya de MotoGP™, an event that will see a full line-up of categories. MotoGP™, Moto2™, Moto3™ and MotoE™ will take to the asphalt in an edition that stands out for the changes in format.
While it is true that Dorna has already implemented a series of new features in the premier class of motorcycling since the beginning of the year, the CatalanGP is making its debut with these significant changes. It will therefore be the first time that fans attending the Circuit will be able to enjoy the new free practice layout, as well as the Sprint Race, which provides Saturday with more hours of competition than they are used to. In addition to the sporting changes, there will also be new entertainment proposals such as the Sprint Race podium, the Hero Walk or the Riders Fan Parade.
The protagonists of this attractive edition
The current MotoGP™ season has an absolute dominator, who has become a handicap at the top of the standings. He is the reigning World Champion, Pecco Bagnaia. The Italian Ducati rider already has five victories so far this year, as well as five pole positions and four first positions in the Sprint Race format. All this puts him in the top position with 251 points and a commanding 62-point lead.
The rider who is closest to the leader is Jorge Martín, with some remarkable results as well. Despite a tough start to the year, the Spaniard has managed to reach the top of the podium on several occasions. Marco Bezzecchi is third in this battle, just 6 points behind the Spaniard. If there is one thing these positions make clear, it is the absolute supremacy of the Ducati, monopolising the provisional podium of the season.
Brad Binder, although without any victory, has been seen on a couple of occasions in the Sprint Race, placing himself in first place. His candidacy is solid, as the KTM rider has accumulated 160 points. Johan Zarco (125) and Luca Marini (120) put Ducati back among the best with their fifth and sixth places respectively. Home rider Aleix Espargaró is his closest challenger with 117 points. The gap between these two riders is so small that a good performance at his home GP could see Espargaró move up the points table. Espargaró will be looking for a victory that he has only been able to achieve once this season, and also to make up for last year’s CatalanGP.
New free practice and qualifying system
MotoGP™ faces a hectic Friday and Saturday Grand Prix schedule this year. Recently, the World Championship organisers have adjusted the way the free practice and qualifying sessions work. Thus, the CatalanGP will have the following format: on Friday, the premier class will do Free Practice 1 in the morning and on Saturday, Free Practice 2, both sessions being solely for testing purposes, with no validity for qualifying. However, on Friday afternoon, the so-called Practice session will be incorporated, which will be taken into account in order to get the 10 best times directly into Q2.
Sprint Race and Sprint Podium
On Saturday, after the timed practices, the riders will take on the Tissot Sprint Race, a qualifying race in which points are also awarded. So far this year, this short race has proved to bring a lot of excitement and surprises to the World Championship and is a great attraction for spectators.
In addition, this event holds a separate prize-giving ceremony at an emblematic location of each circuit. The location chosen at the Circuit, and for the first time in its history, will be an area accessible to the public. It will be the Monster Zone, located behind Grandstand B. There, fans will enjoy the podium live, with their idols just a few metres away.
Hero Walk
The Hero Walk will allow riders to pass through a limited space at the entrance to the paddock (next to the Circuit’s petrol station) on both Saturday and Sunday morning to talk to fans, take pictures, etc. On Saturday, only MotoGP™ riders will pass through there, while on Sunday the representatives of the three categories will do so: MotoGP™, Moto2™ and Moto3™. The Hero Walk is an activity reserved for Circuit Members, whose group will receive by e-mail the rules to be able to enjoy this experience.
Riders Fan Parade
The Riders Fan Parade, an activity focused on riders and fans, will take place on Sunday at 10 a.m. This initiative, which will be held shortly before the start of the races on Sunday, will allow MotoGP riders to ride around the track on a trailer to greet and cheer up the Circuit’s attendants. During the tour, the riders will make some stops in front of the grandstands where there may be fan clubs. Moreover, the riders will be interviewed so that the public can find out what their feelings are before the race.
Tickets available at www.circuitcat.com
The Circuit has an attractive offer of tickets to attend the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya de MotoGP™. Starting at €72, fans can enjoy three days of competition on the track and many proposals outside it.
In addition, some of the riders of the motorcycling world championship have reserved areas for their fan clubs in different grandstands, a highly recommended option to experience many emotions.