The president of the International Motorcycle Federation has stated that the MotoGP World Championship could return to Portugal as soon as 2022.
This news comes alongside Portimão City Council announcing the approval of a 1.5 million euro grant to support the return of the MotoGP World Motorcycling Championship to the Algarve International Autodrome (AIA), the mayor revealed to Lusa today, Monday.
"The Council has unanimously approved a proposal for financial support for international MotoGP events worth a total of 1.5 million euros for three years, or 500,000 euros per year for each Grand Prix," said Isilda Gomes, Socialist Party mayor of Portimão.
According to the mayor, the grant signifies the Council recognizing the high interest of the World Championship, which is in the top category of speed motorcycling. According to the mayor, the Council values the “economic impact and the image projection capacity it has for the Algarve and Portugal around the world".
"We consider that a Championship of this category will bring huge projection for the region, and even for Portugal, in terms of tourism, in terms of its world dimension," she said. The grant guarantees payment of 1.5 million euros over a period of three years to Dorna, the rights holder for the MotoGP World Championship, as long as the event is taken on by the Algarve International Autodrome.
The president of the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) said that the MotoGP World Championship could return to Portugal as soon as 2022, prompting the Government to express its willingness to find the best solution to organize the race.
