Circuito de Navarra’s motorsport season began last weekend (20/21 April) with a hugely successful opening round of the British Superbike Championship (BSB). The venue is undergoing a multi-million Euro redevelopment by owner MotorSport Vision (MSV) which will be finished later this summer, and the first phase was recently completed.
More than 3,000 visitors came from the UK for the weekend, for an average of three days each. They were joined by even more spectators than expected from across Spain, plus BSB superfan Signe Rosen, who drove more than 3,000km from Sweden!
Feedback from British visitors was overwhelmingly positive, with praise not just for the outstanding circuit facility but also the stunning scenery. Many people hadn’t realised what a beautiful region Navarra is, and how easy it is to get to, with the majority flying into Bilbao. Visitors were hugely impressed by the quality and value of the hotels, restaurants and bars in the local towns and cities, and are very keen to come back again next year.
Moreover, the action on the circuit was superb all weekend long, with great racing in BSB and its support classes. The crowd also enjoyed motorcycle stunt shows from Ducati stunt rider Emilio Zamora, whilst a busy fan zone in the paddock featured live music, rider appearances and a headline DJ set on the Saturday night.
MSV Chief Executive Jonathan Palmer commented: “I’m absolutely delighted by the success of our first ever Bennetts BSB round at Circuito de Navarra. The weather was fantastic, the racing was hugely entertaining and we had a very good attendance which exceeded our expectations. I’m so pleased that several thousand visitors from the UK came to see first-hand this lovely region and experience the incredible scenery and warm hospitality. I know many of them stayed in the nearby villages, towns and cities and were particularly impressed with the quality and value of eating and drinking in the Pinchos bars!
“I’ve never received so many positive comments during a race weekend, whether it be from the participating teams, the riders or the fans themselves. It was also great to have Ramón Alzorriz there (Speaker of the PSN in the Parliament of Navarra) and he presented the BSB podium on Sunday.
“This event was a significant first step towards the circuit, under MSV’s operation, making the substantial contribution to the local economy that we always intended. Thanks to MSV’s ongoing investment and improvements, the venue has become something that everyone in Navarra can be extremely proud of.”
For more information on Circuito de Navarra, including upcoming race events and opportunities to ride or drive the track, visit www.circuitodenavarra.com.
Sample comments from UK visitors to Navarra:
“It was epic. We spent two days riding some of the best roads in Europe and then watched great racing in the sunshine, before eating fabulous Spanish food. See you next year!”
“The region has great wine, food and fantastic nightlife, with stunning scenery and roads to drive on. What more could you want.”
“Getting there was easy, the hire car was cheap and we stayed in a beautiful apartment which was great value. The weather was amazing and everyone seemed to be enjoying a beer in the sun or listening to music in the fan zone.”
