Dorna Sports S.L and the Mugello circuit have reached agreement on a new five-year deal, meaning the Italian Grand Prix will continue to be held at the Tuscan circuit until at least 2016. The circuit, which first featured on the World Championship calendar in 1976 and has held a Grand Prix event continually since 1991, has become one of the landmark features on the MotoGP schedule and welcomed the 2011 Gran Premio d’Italia with a brand new grandstand and resurfaced track. Having hosted a GP event every year since the introduction of the four-stroke MotoGP formula in 2002, Mugello will also play host to the new 1000cc capacity prototypes which will make up the MotoGP grid in 2012. Speaking about the new deal, Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said: “It’s fantastic news to be able to announce this contract renewal with Mugello, which will see the circuit host the Gran Premio d’Italia for a further five years. This is an amazing facility which will have a place on the MotoGP World Championship schedule until at least 2016. The organisation of this race is very professional and the improvements we’ve found this year have done nothing but raise the circuit’s already extremely high standards. The new grandstand on the start/finish straight, the relaying of the asphalt which all riders from each of the three categories have praised, and the environment at Mugello make it a very special race which, fortunately, continues to be a mainstay in MotoGP.” Paolo Poli, Chief Executive of the Mugello Circuit, commented: “We’re very pleased to announce the renewal of the agreement which confirms Mugello will continue to be a MotoGP venue. This also ensures that the Italian Grand Prix will remain the most important event of our sporting calendar in years to come. In addition we will also continue our positive relationship with Dorna, whose professionalism has allowed motorcycle racing to be more successful and popular than ever.” Stefano Domenicali, Ferrari Team Principal, added: “The Autrodromo Internazionale del Mugello has become more and more important within our company, and this new deal is a great tribute to the Mugello circuit, its staff and the work that has been done here in the past few years.”