Barcelona boost the aim for Repsol Honda Team

A favourite of fans and riders alike, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has seen host to a number of iconic moments over the years. At 4.66 kilometres long, the track has undergone several layout changes during its time on the MotoGP World Championship calendar with the final chicane once again removed for the 2024 edition. The Repsol Honda Team last achieved victory at the Catalan GP in 2019.

Having made strong gains over the course of the weekends in Jerez and Le Mans, Joan Mir has been able to consistently challenge for top Honda honours and charge through the field in recent weeks. Last year Mir finished 19th in Barcelona, just his second finish outside the top five at the track in the premier class. With a strong historic record, the scene is set for a return to the points after the double DNF of the French GP.

Luca Marini has been steadily building over the opening rounds of the year, collecting strong data and consistent race finishes. The Barcelona round offers another chance for further improvements and to close the gap to the rest of the field. Like his Repsol Honda Team teammate, a better grid position on Saturday could prime the Italian to contest points in the pair of races.

Location: Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya

In 1989, through the joint collaboration of the Catalan Autonomous Government, the Montmeló Town Council and the Royal Automobile Club of Catalunya (RACC), work began on giving one of Europe’s most beautiful cities a state of the art race track to match. The Circuit de Catalunya opened on the doorstep of Barcelona in September 1991 and welcomed its first international event that same month, hosting the Spanish F1 Grand Prix. It went on to host the European Motorcycle Grand Prix and in 1995 became home to the Gran Premio de Catalunya. Before the start of the 2018 MotoGP season, the circuit underwent a full track resurfacing while key changes were made to increase safety standards. The new developments have seen an extended run-off area at turn 13 of the MotoGP layout which required demolition of two sections of a grandstand with another relocated. The run-off area was filled with gravel and from the braking point it now provide an extra 20 metres of run-off space. The track changes have altered the circuit layout by 28 metres (from 4.655 to 4.627 km) with turn 10 using the smaller F1 corner at La Caixa which was already used in 2016 and 2017.