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Silverstone Circuit will undergo full resurfacing for 2019 British MotoGP round.
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Their contract was also extended to 2021.
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Work will begin in June 2019.
The Silverstone circuit will undergo full resurfacing for the 2019 MotoGP round. At the same time, their contract was extended to 2021.
The move follows last year’s British MotoGP fracas. Fans waited for hours in the stands before the round was cancelled due to rain and standing water. Apart from that, the tarmac was previously smoothened to accommodate Formula 1 cars and their underbody skid plates.
The FIM demanded the resurfacing of the track in order to meet safety and homologation standards. In response, the circuit announced that full resurfacing will commence in June ahead of Formula 1 in July and MotoGP in August, this year.
Track work will be carried out by construction company Tarmac and overseen by consultant Jarno Zaffelli, who has overseen successful resurfacing jobs at Sepang and Termas de Rio Hondo, which have gathered praise since the last MotoGP races at the respective circuits.
Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle, who was the central figure in last year’s controversy, is delighted with both the resurfacing confirmation and the British MotoGP contract extension.
“Getting to this point has involved a lot of work by the staff at Silverstone but throughout it all we have been completely focused on making sure we make the right decisions to guarantee the future of our most important events with Formula 1 and MotoGP,” Pringle said.
Tarmac’s managing director Paul Fleetham is confident in delivering a high-quality resurfacing.
“We are exceptionally proud to be working with the team at Silverstone to resurface the iconic British race circuit,” Fleetham said. “It demonstrates both the quality of our people and our first-class track record in delivering high-profile, nationally significant schemes.”
MotoGP CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta added: “The extension to the contract at Silverstone is a mark of the confidence we have in the circuit to host a successful MotoGP event over the next three years.”
Source: Crash.net