Not up to World Championship standards": enthusiasm and doubts, the Brazilian GP according to Paolo Simoncelli

The return to Brazil wasn’t as expected... Paolo Simoncelli shared his thoughts on the issues encountered.

After a double world event, it’s time for assessments and reflections. There’s also an opportunity to look back at the Brazilian Grand Prix, the first since the 1980s, which, however, left a significant trail of controversy and doubts, especially due to the track conditions seen over the MotoGP World Championship weekend. Heavy rains at the beginning of the week weakened the circuit, even causing a hole in the track with serious delays on Saturday, in addition to further deterioration of the asphalt on GP Sunday, particularly during the premier class race. Paolo Simoncelli, head of SIC58 Squadra Corse in Moto3, who stayed home also due to a knee issue, is among those who believe that the Autódromo de Goiânia, despite the work done, was still not ready to host a World Championship again. The statement from Race Direction that followed says a lot (we discussed it here).

“The return to Brazil brought enthusiasm and curiosity: more than three decades without racing on that track is no small thing. The allure of something new, mixed with memories of the past, involved just about everyone.” Paolo Simoncelli comments on this major novelty of the 2026 World Championship, with Diogo Moreira’s homecoming, looking at the present while not neglecting fond memories of the past, as seen particularly in the premier class. “Team Gresini celebrated the occasion with a livery dedicated to Alex Barros, on the team’s thirtieth anniversary.” Long the standout example of two wheels in the green-and-gold nation, and the rider with whom Fausto Gresini’s team, now led by his wife Nadia Padovani, began to make a serious mark in the World Championship.

Unfortunately, there’s cause for complaint, as we mentioned earlier and as highlighted by the SIC58 boss in Moto3. “To look at things honestly, the circuit was not yet up to what a World Championship requires. Charm alone isn’t enough to meet all the requirements; we arrived here ahead of time, by at least a year,” is Simoncelli’s comment in the blog post written after the two GPs between South and North America. Sadly, the return to Brazil wasn’t the celebration that was hoped for—there were too many clouds, and we’re not talking about the ones that brought heavy rain to the track. The GP’s confirmation at the circuit named after Ayrton Senna is not in doubt for the coming years, but there is certainly work to be done!