The 2022 season features a new asphalt surface and backing to local companies

21.01.2022 11:45

AUTODROM MOST has been through another significant part of track reconstruction. Now, the track has a completely new surface, enlarged run-off zones, a new water drainage and a number of further improvements. Moreover, in line with a long-range strategy, it is local companies that are primarily employed for investment related to the motor-racing circuit, which means that money invested in the reconstruction help the entire region.

 

“The Autodrom Most premises, which include not only the racing track itself, but also the Polygon area, are unique premises, and it is always necessary to consider all the investment as a complex in order to maintain a high standard. When we are making decisions, it is always high quality and safety that play essential roles, both in respect of our employees and, of course, in relation to the general public”, says Josef Zajíček, Autodrom Most Chief Executive Officer, explaining the basic investment objectives.

 

The autumn stage of the reconstruction and track alterations has required month-long intensive and well-planned work. Over that time, the surface down the start-finish straight including the well-known first chicane and several hundreds of following metres have been replaced. A special kind of asphalt has been used complying with the strict requirements for homologation set by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and the Fédération Internationale Motocycliste (FIM). Modifications made on the first and second corner included replacement of kerbs for a new Melbourne type. On the outside of the turns, drainage layer of porous asphalt has now been used to ensure a better water drainage.





 

Run-off zones, too, have experienced an important improvement on two bends. “Having moved the barriers, the zones have been expanded by 3 to 5 metres and their profile has been changed as well. As a result, the run-off areas have its peak 1.2 metres higher at the highest places, whereas 4,000 tons of gravel trap were handled, and 800 tons of earth removed. This represents 160 full truck semitrailers”, says Jindřich Hrneček, the Autodrom Most motorsport director.

 

Six thousand metres of added drainage are equally important for safety. The improved track is not only safer, but also faster, which is why the fans can look forward to new records during the next season. The autumn stage of reconstruction followed from the spring stage. In total, AUTODROM MOST invested 35 million crowns in the track in 2021. That's not to say that investment has come to an end. On the contrary. New modifications are planned as early as February 2022. These alterations relate to run-off areas again, but also to the race control tower or the closed-circuit television system.



 

“Our goal is to bring something to the region, not to draw from it. That’s why we strictly follow the principle of utilizing local firms whatever we do at the circuit”, says Josef Zajíček. Nevertheless, investment in the track and its facilities is just one part. Of course, another important thing is organising world events. “The World Superbike Championship has helped us intensify the planned investment. But it is a question of prestige, and although we try to be effective when organising similar events, we count with return of investment or, better, to have at least a balanced budget within two or three years.”

 

In the past season, we managed to organise events at Most that return the Czech Republic on the map of the global motor racing despite COVID-19 restrictions. Apart from the above-mentioned World Superbike Championship, watched on TV worldwide by about 250 million viewers, it was also the World Touring Car Cup or the FIM Endurance World Championship. The following dates of flagship events have been announced for the 2022 season: WTCR from 9 to 10 April, WorldSBK from 29 to 31 July, and the FIA European Truck Racing Championship from 2 to 4 September 2022. Each of these top-quality events will secure extraordinary attention to the Most region as well as the entire country thanks to which the visitors will bring quite a lot of money; according to an analysis made by the Czech Tourism agency, for example, the 2017 Czech Truck Prix spectators spent 40 million crowns during the race weekend. AUTODROM MOST’s long-term intention is to build and foster the tradition of high-quality circuit races that will offer an attractive show and attract plenty of home as well as foreign visitors.

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