Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has officially launched this afternoon the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya de MotoGP™ 2023. It has done so in a very special location in Barcelona, at the Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria.
The event was chaired by Roger Torrent, President of the Circuit and Minister of Enterprise and Employment, who was accompanied by Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports; Josep Mateu, President of the RACC; Pere Rodríguez, Mayor of Montmeló; Pau Solanilla, Commissioner for International Relations and Economic Promotion of the Barcelona City Council; and Josep Lluís Santamaría, General Manager of Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
There was also no lack of sporting representation thanks to some of the protagonists of the weekend, such as the brothers Aleix and Pol Espargaró; Marc and Álex Márquez; Albert Arenas and Xavier Artigas; all of them Catalan riders who will defend their home race in each of the categories of the Motorcycling World Championship.
The Catalan Minister of Enterprise and Employment and President of Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Roger Torrent i Ramió, has assured today that “the staging of the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya de MotoGP means to continue hosting the best competitions and to move forward in the implementation of the Strategic Plan”. Torrent highlighted that with this event Catalonia will once again be “the centre of the world”. The Head of Business and Employment recalled the commitment made to “improve the Circuit and continue holding different competitions with a more sustainable infrastructure that benefits the riders, the show and the experience of the public”.
The General Manager of the Circuit, Josep Lluís Santamaría, wanted to state that “everything is ready to host MotoGP. This year we will also have MotoE™ again, in addition to the usual MotoGP™, Moto2™ and Moto3™. It is a race that we are very excited about, as it is organised by a Catalan company, Dorna, and one of its main executives, Carmelo Ezpeleta, was part of this project called Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in its beginnings”. Santamaría has not overlooked the novelties that both the Circuit and Dorna have implemented in this edition. “We have focused on making the public experience much more satisfactory, with water fountains, shadows and new entertainment proposals”, he said.
On the sporting side, the first to talk about his home GP was Pol Espargaró. The rider, born in Granollers, said that “I am proud to be competing with the best riders in the world. After a long sabbatical due to my injury, I’m coming back to the Circuit, a place where they have been very attentive to my recovery, and I thank them for that. They have been part of my pre-season and have helped me a lot. Also, in the time I’ve been away the bike has improved a lot thanks to the great commitment of GASGAS”.
His brother Aleix Espargaró, highlighted “the great work they are doing at Aprilia, as we are very competitive. The idea is to be on the podium at the end of the year, the new MotoGP format distributes many more points, so everything will be much more open until the end”. The elder of the Espargaró brothers made reference to the last edition of the CatalanGP, an event in which he missed out on the podium by finishing the race one lap early. “This year, I have a message in English on my helmet that says one more lap, and I haven’t put the new Circuit marker on it because it didn’t fit in the design”, said the Catalan with a laugh.
Álex Márquez today represented the lights of the motorcycling brothers. “It’s been a good season for everything we are achieving. Although a sprint victory is not the same as one on Sunday, it is a very big step forward. That’s because the bike is working very well, and we’re all very happy, because it’s good to go to the races and know that you can go to the front and fight with the rivals, at a circuit where I really enjoy it,” said the Ducati rider.
Marc Márquez, for his part, is having to see more of the shadows this year than his brother, as he himself has acknowledged. “This year it’s been a little difficult, but we’re improving. We will try to make the spectators enjoy the race as always, and it looks like the weather can be changeable so that can help us. In good times it’s easy to have support, but now, when things aren’t going so well, is when you value the warmth of the fans the most. I will have it thanks to the Marc Márquez stand”.
The Moto2 and Moto3 riders, Albert Arenas and Xavier Artigas respectively, were also present. Arenas acknowledged that “Moto2 is a very difficult category and we have to balance everything because the bike is really good and we have potential. There would be no better way to celebrate our home GP than with a podium”. Artigas, in a very similar vein, stated that “although the beginning of the season went well, we have not been able to maintain that pace. We have to see what makes us weaker and improve. It’s a circuit where I’ve always felt comfortable”.
A special edition of KISS Barcelona
The Sustainability Meeting Point platform of the Circuit promotes KISS Barcelona by once again taking part in the KISS (Keep It Shine and Sustainable) programme of the FIM Ride Green. The programme also celebrates a decade of history coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the FIM Ride Green. The Gran Premi de Catalunya MotoGP, an ISO 20121:2013 certified event, is once again promoting actions within the framework of the United Nations SDGs.
Some of these actions are the use of 100% renewable energy, the rental of low-emission generators, the commitment to energy self-consumption, the donation of surplus food, the offer of km0 and ecological food, the presence of drinking water sources in the public areas, the improvement of the biodiversity of its green areas, the collaboration with companies with social value, the valorisation and recycling of waste, the promotion of sustainable mobility, the use of the circular economy, and many more.
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.
