RIO GRAND PRIX

Introduction: The Nelson Piquet track at Jacarepagua in Rio, Brazil, was built in 1975 and held its first motorcycle races in 1977. In the summer of 1982 it held its first international motorcycle events for the Brazilian Road Race Championship but soon dropped from favour after high temperatures, high humidity and high cornering speeds meant that the track quality deteriorated badly. Rebuilt in a seven month long programme in 1995, the track with one of the longest straights in world motorcycle racing (1,100 metres) now has an improved surface, although riders still often complain of severe bumpy areas, making front end suspension a key factor. New pit garages and a media centre have helped Rio re-establish itself as a firm fixture on the MotoGP agenda.