Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana named best of 2021
The season finale, one of the first to welcome a packed house back to the track as restrictions eased, has been voted best of the year
Thursday, 28 April 2022
The Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana has been named the best Grand Prix of 2021. The award is voted for by IRTA and then ratified by the Grand Prix Commission, with the event at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo coming out on top. It’s the fourth time Valencia has won the award, with 2021 adding to successes in 2002, 2003 and 2005. The circuit also has two Best Grand Prix trophies from 2020 for the Europe and Valencia Grands Prix, with every track that hosted an event that year honoured for their collaboration and support during a challenging season for the sport.
The season finale always brings the year to a close in style, with the unique Circuit Ricardo Tormo creating an amphitheatre of grandstands and giving fans an unparalleled view of the action. In 2021, the event was also one of the first without strict limitations on attendance, with Covid-19 restrictions beginning to ease. Accordingly, nearly 150,000 fans flocked through the gates across the weekend and it was the best attended event of the season.
Vicent Marzà, Education, Culture and Sports Counsellor at the Generalitat Valenciana: “MotoGP is the most important event of the Circuit Ricardo Tormo calendar. Every season we prepare the Grand Prix with all possible care. We want to thank Dorna, IRTA and FIM for this award and we would like to share it with all fans who are the key piece to make the Grand Prix of the Valencian Community a great success for the last 23 years. See you on the 6th of November!”
Hervé Poncharal, President of IRTA: “It’s great to see Valencia gaining the award for best Grand Prix back! Valencia has always been a strong player in MotoGP, fulfilling all our requests and often hosting the final showdowns deciding our Champions – and the track is the perfect stage to allow the crowd to follow the fight corner by corner.
“It is always an intense weekend and the circuit puts on a great show. In 2021, it was a full house once again and as one of the only races with no restrictions, it was always going to be a tough act for the rest to compete with!”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “We’re very happy to see Valencia voted best Grand Prix. It’s always a great weekend for the sport when we return to the track, which feels like an arena and creates a phenomenal atmosphere. The promoter, staff and everyone at the circuit welcome us back with open arms at the end of each season, and last year was no different.
“It was fantastic to see so many fans return to fill the stands and Valencia made it an event to remember, for them and for everyone working in the paddock. It is one of our flagship events on the calendar, where we know that we can always expect a sold-out crowd. We would like to express our gratitude for an incredible Grand Prix, and extend our thanks to the Comunitat Valenciana for their continued passion and support for MotoGP.”
