Northern Ireland secures World Superbike round from 2019

Northern Ireland will host the World Superbike championship from 2019 after the Lake Torrent Circuit secured a three-year deal with organisers Dorna.

The new circuit is currently under construction in Coalisland, County Tyrone, and is being built by Manna Developments to transform a former clay pit into a world-class level race circuit with engineering and leisure facilities.

Lake Torrent Circuit
Lake Torrent Circuit

Northern Ireland will host the World Superbike championship from 2019 after the Lake Torrent Circuit secured a three-year deal with organisers Dorna.

The new circuit is currently under construction in Coalisland, County Tyrone, and is being built by Manna Developments to transform a former clay pit into a world-class level race circuit with engineering and leisure facilities.

Despite development currently being in its early stages, the Lake Torrent Circuit has signed a three-year deal with World Superbikes and will welcome the series from 2019.

With a huge motorbike fan base and history in the region, including triple world champion Jonathan Rea, World Superbike executive director Daniel Carrera is thrilled to secure a Northern Irish round from 2019 and is convinced the new event will become a massive future success.

“We are delighted to be adding Northern Ireland as a destination for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, Lake Torrent circuit is a fantastic project that will deliver a high-class facility for competitors and visitors,” Carrera said. “We are proud that Manna Developments and Mid Ulster representatives have chosen World Superbike as their top event for the international promotion of the circuit and region.

“We know that the proper management of this kind of facility could provide the local community with new opportunities through business, job creation, leisure and tourism. With the large tradition and culture in motorcycling in Northern Ireland, I am sure that this event could become a reference in our Championship in the near future.”

The Lake Torrent Circuit is expected to compose of a 3.6km circuit with 12 corners which has elevation changes of up to 30m. An estimated 700 jobs are expected to be created during its 18-month construction period which will build the circuit plus 90 retail and business sites.

Manna Development spokesman David Henderson says it’s a dream come true for the region and predicts the circuit to be able to host 30,000 fans on its World Superbike debut event.

“For the past 15 years it has been a dream of mine to build a motor racing circuit that incorporates the feel of the road with the safety of an international standard track – and also to bring the World Superbike Championship to Northern Ireland,” Henderson said.

“Having finally identified the perfect location and achieved planning permission last year, today sees the completion of that dream and is a day that will only be topped when we see up to 30,000 spectators converge in Coalisland for the first WorldSBK racing event in Northern Ireland.  They really don’t come much bigger than this,” he added.

“This is a historic milestone for the town of Coalisland, the county of Tyrone and indeed for the whole of Northern Ireland as we celebrate the realisation of our vision to create an internationally recognised motorsport arena which will become a venue for regional, national and international competitions for many years to come.”

The new Northern Ireland round follows the recent addition of an Argentina round on the 2018 World Superbike calendar at the newly-built Villicum Circuit.

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