Es oficial: Termas de Río Hondo no recibirá este año la acción del campeonato mundial de MotoGP. La categoría más importante del automovilismo mundial confirmó la cancelación del Gran Premio de Argentina 2024, que debía disputarse entre el 5 y 7 de abril.
"Debido a las circunstancias actuales en Argentina, el promotor del evento ha comunicado que actualmente no puede garantizar los servicios necesarios para que el Gran Premio se celebre en 2024 con los estándares de MotoGP", se explicó en un comunicado firmado por la Federación Internacional de Motociclismo, la Asociación Internacional de Equipos de Carreras por Carretera y Dorna Sports, dueña de la licencia del evento.
En el breve texto se informa, además, que no se buscará un reemplazo para el evento, por lo que el calendario de esta temporada pasará de 22 a 21 fechas, y se deja la puerta abierta para un posible regreso en 2025, último año contemplado en el contrato vigente de la carrera.
Las versiones de que la cita de la ciudad santiagueña -la tercera de la temporada que arrancara el fin de semana del 10 de marzo en Qatar- no se celebraría empezaron a circular desde principios de año. El martes, el diario español Marca había asegurado que la baja del calendario era un hecho. De acuerdo a ese y otros medios, la eliminación de la fecha argentina del calendario respondía a la complicada situación económica que vive el país, en especial desde que Javier Milei asumió la presidencia.
BREAKING: the 2024 #ArgentinaGP has been cancelled 🚨➡️ https://t.co/VlDdFujBQ7
The event will not be replaced ❌#MotoGP pic.twitter.com/AFo8tN9lPV
La política de ajuste de gastos estatales que implementó el presidente impactó de lleno en la organización del GP de Termas, ya que el evento recibe una importante suma de dinero del estado nacional, uno de los tres grandes responsables de llevar adelante la carrera junto al gobierno de Santiago del Estero y el promotor privado.
From
Carburando
, however, they pointed out that the "obstacles" were not only economic, but had more to do with
"Customs logistics, security and Intercargo issues, that is, the entire logistics service at airports for transport the motorcycles and all the equipment materials"
, due to the restructuring of public organizations, such as ministries, secretariats and other national agencies.
They also pointed out that in the early hours of Tuesday tickets for the race had gone on sale, which for many was a sign that the possibilities of cancellation were really concrete, despite the fact that last December, the authorities of Santiago del Estero had said that the date was assured.
The cancellation would be due to a logistical issue, rather than an economic problem.
Photo JUAN MABROMATA / AFP
Orly Terranova
, Executive Director of the company
OSD
, organizer of the Argentine GP, had anticipated the announcement in a talk with the newspaper
El Liberal
, of Santiago del Estero.
"We, together with the Province, have done the impossible to try to get the national government to attend to us and respond and to give some type of sign of compliance with the contract. No type of response was achieved. There was silence. After 60 days of assuming They appointed Daniel Scioli as Secretary of Tourism, Environment and Sports. And in the middle of that it becomes impossible to hold the event," explained the former pilot.
"The circuit is ready and I think they are now painting it. We had everything sold and unfortunately we do not have coordination with Customs, Intercargo, Gendarmerie or the economic contribution that the Nation has to make. Given the lack of response, the worst decision will be made. The truth is that it is incredible because there was no way to propose the project, the impact it has, employment in the region... This race was an economic multiplier, of service, employment, projects, investments. Crazy," he added.
Last year, for example, the event generated an economic impact of more than 5,000 million pesos
and brought together nearly 200 thousand motorsport fans, not only Argentines but from the entire region, since it is the only GP in the category that It is celebrated in South America.
Every year the race attracts a large crowd of Argentines and visitors from the entire region.
Photo JUAN MABROMATA / AFP
The Argentine Grand Prix has been held in Termas since the 2014 season
, when it returned to the MotoGP World Championship calendar after a 15-year absence.
Since then, the only years in which it was not celebrated were 2020 and 2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Before landing in Santiago, it had been carried out in Buenos Aires between the '60s and '90s, although not uninterruptedly.
Will it return in 2025?
"Everything will depend on what we can do in the province via the governor (
Gerardo Zamora
) and us as a private person. The truth is that this generates damage that we do not know if it will be irreparable or repairable," Terranova said.
With the cancellation of the Argentine event confirmed, the 2024 MotoGP World Championship will now have 21 dates and after the first two races - in
Losail
, Qatar, and
Portimao
, Portugal, on March 24 - it will have a three-week break and will return on the 14th. April at the
Austin
circuit for the Grand Prix of the Americas.