OOn July 13, the MXGP of Finland will be held at the brand new KymiRing. It is located in the south of the country near the city of Kouvola. The story of KymiRing began in 2007 with a bold vision and a carefully crafted master plan. In 2013, KymiRing Oy was founded and after years of construction, the most modern and largest event venue in Northern Europe was brought to life in 2019. But then things went terribly wrong.
The name Kymi is derived from the Kymijoki River, which flows near the circuit. In July 2017, Dorna Sports, the organiser of the MotoGP motorcycle racing championship, signed a contract to host races at the circuit from 2018. The first race was not held until 2020. The venue houses a MotoGP circuit, a rallycross circuit and a motocross circuit. They are approved by the FIM and the FIA. The race track even has an FIA Grade 1 license, which is required to host a Formula 1 race.
On 19 August 2019, the Kymi Ring was officially opened with a MotoGP test, in preparation for the planned Grand Prix of Finland. This race was scheduled to be held from 2020, but was cancelled two years in a row due to the corona pandemic. The race was also cancelled in 2022, this time due to homologation work and the geopolitical situation as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Then, concerns arose about the financial situation of the circuit. Both the planned races of the Motocross World Championship and the Nitro Rallycross were cancelled. In July 2022, the developer of the Kymi Ring went into liquidation. When the road racing calendar for 2023 was presented, the Finnish Grand Prix was missing. In 2024, a new owner came and he is determined to continue this legacy while at the same time forging a new path.
The last MXGP in Finland was in 2023 when it visited Vantaa. Due to a calendar change by promoter Infront Moto Racing, the KymiRing will now be part of the Motocross World Championship this year with the MXGP of Finland on July 13. It promises to be an exciting weekend full of top-level motocross action. Fans can expect thrilling performances in the MXGP and MX2 categories, complemented by the supporting European classes EMX250 and EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing.
All information about the KymiRing can be found at their website.
Photos: FIM Europe, KymiRing, MotoGP en Infront Moto Racing
Tekst: Danny Hermans
