MotoGP's new Brazil GP venue to be closed again for asphalt works

Autodromo Internacional Ayrton Senna in Goiania will close again in June for another round of track resurfacing, after new problems arose during the Stock Car race at the circuit last weekend.

Issues with asphalt first arose during MotoGP's returning Brazilian Grand Prix in March, with a pothole on the main straight, undulations at Turn 4 and, most notably, asphalt breakage at Turns 11 and 12.

The organisers and the state government attributed the asphalt issues to the limited time available to allow for proper curing. As a result, the track was closed immediately after the Brazilian Grand Prix to resurface the asphalt and allow for curing. No events took place for about 45 days, with the Porsche Cup round postponed to October.

Last weekend’s Stock Car race marked the track’s reopening following the repairs; however, as the sessions progressed, new issues with the asphalt were noted, particularly at Turn 5.

Therefore, according to a report by the newspaper O Popular, the track will be closed again in June for further repairs to the asphalt.

Asfalto do Autódromo Ayrton Senna após a corrida da MotoGP

Photo by: Guilherme Longo

Before that, it will remain open for the Moto1000GP rounds this weekend and the Marcas e Pilotos Centro-Oeste series next weekend. To ensure the races can proceed, temporary measures will be taken on the track surface to guarantee the safety of competitors.

The State Secretary of Sports and Leisure for the state of Goias, Welington Peixoto, gave a statement to O Popular regarding the work: “The asphalt repair work takes three days, but we need to allow time for the asphalt to cure. It was precisely the curing process that didn’t go well, and the surface began to deteriorate.”

According to the newspaper, the government will notify the companies Interpub (holder of the MotoGP organisational rights in Brazil) and JZ Engenharia (responsible for the paving). The state will also request two technical reports: one from Goinfra (Goiana Agency for Infrastructure and Transportation) and another from an external firm to be determined.