Boy, the MotoGP race at Brazil's Goiania track was a freakin' mess. After years away, and a costly and long refurbishment, motorcycle racing returned to the country. But it almost didn't happen, and probably shouldn't have gone through.
First, there were threats to it even going through, as the entire area saw massive flooding, monsoon rains, and standing water all over the track. Crews got the water away, sure, but they had to tirelessly work to get the water off the track multiple times over the race weekend as the rains just wouldn't let up. Then, ahead of the race, a sinkhole opened up just after qualifying on the front straight, with the track's operations scrambling to replace the surface so riders wouldn't fall into the pits of hell.
Again, the crew reacted admirably and got it filled, but the rest of the track became so degraded by the time of the race start, MotoGP's governing body made the decision to cut the race short, only going half distance as the track's surface was literally being ripped up and spat out at riders as they went around it. Many riders wondered aloud why the event was even held afterward, as they were pelted by debris and pavement shot at them by the riders in front of them.
It was, in short, a cluster of a race. Knowing the bad press they received from the state of everything, the Brazilian organizers are already hard at work refurbishing the track once again ahead of next season. But will MotoGP return to Goiania next year? Or will the Buenos Aires track that's being built right now replace it?
(Update: An earlier version of this post mistakenly put Buenos Aires in Brazil because the writer, me, was an idiot. It's been corrected because I'm an idiot.)
According to Motorsport, "Amid the problems and criticism, the Government of Goias, race organisation and the FIM confirmed that new works would be carried out at the track to prevent a recurrence of this problem."
These new works aren't detailed, but there were a raft of issues all around the track during the race. There was the much- publicized hole on the front straight, weird undulations throughout the track surface, and turns 10 and 11 basically becoming a gravel rally stage. How you can make repairs to such a surface and not just repave the whole thing, I don't know.
But the Goias Sports and Leisure Secretariat remains optimistic about the renovations, and told the outlet, "After the Goias MotoGP Grand Prix 2026, specific points of the circuit requiring punctual repairs were identified, mainly due to climatic factors. The work will begin this Monday [6 April], with an estimated duration of up to three days. Following this, a curing period of up to 30 days will be necessary for the new asphalt layer applied to the repaired sections. The racetrack will be fully ready to host all scheduled competitions starting in May."
All I can think of is, "Sure, Jan."
At the same time these renovations to Ayrton Senna International Circuit are happening, Buenos Aires' Oscar y Juan Galvez Racetrack's in Argentina construction is moving ahead at a lightning-fast pace, with workers supposedly working seven days a week, and they're working to not only return MotoGP to the circuit, but also Formula 1. And who's leading the charge? Famed (infamous?) track designers Tilke Engineers & Architects, that's who.
Again, Motorsport states, "While construction is progressing ahead of schedule at this stage, this was very well received during the recent visit by Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group, and sporting director, Carlos Ezpeleta, who toured the circuit early last week to check on progress. The work is expected to be completed in December, which would leave enough time to conduct all necessary testing in preparation for hosting the MotoGP world championship between late March and early April of next year."
I might hazard against scheduling an Argentinian race during the country's monsoon season, but hey, that's just me. At the same time, the track's ability to host both MotoGP and Formula 1 could point to a potential double header at some point, which is something that Liberty Media seems keen on doing. Moreover, if Buenos Aires can get the track done in time, along with ensuring the asphalt won't suffer the same degradation that Goiania suffered due to similar rainy season scheduling, could we potentially see it replacing the beleaguered venue?
Unclear, as only time will tell if these "fixes" will actually fix the problems seen in the Brazilian race.
