The Masaryk Circuit in Brno, Czech Republic, has a brand-new racing surface, and it’s getting a lot of attention from riders and fans around the world. Czech Moto2 rider Filip Salač was one of the first to try the new track, and he says it’s one of the best he has ever ridden on.

The famous Masaryk Circuit has been completely repaved. This was part of a large innovation project to prepare the track for future international races, including the Czech Grand Prix. The goal was to make the track smoother, safer, and faster. According to officials, the new asphalt was made specially for the Brno area, with local weather and racing needs in mind.

Construction workers used more than 14,000 tons of asphalt and laid it in two layers. One layer is 25 millimeters thick, and the other is 40 millimeters. This strong and smooth surface helps motorcycles grip the road better, even during high-speed turns.

In an interview for iDNES.cz, Filip Salač shared his excitement after he tested the new surface for the first time. “The new asphalt is amazing. It’s smooth, with no bumps at all, and it has incredible grip,” he said. “You can lean the bike more in the corners and start using the throttle earlier. You really feel the rear wheel pushing you forward.”

Salač, who was riding a Yamaha YZF-R1, set his personal best time on the Masaryk Circuit during just his second lap. He believes that the new surface will help many riders break records. “I think lap times will improve by three to four seconds. I was already faster than ever on only my second try,” he said in an Automotodrom Brno press release.

Also, according to Salač, not many other MotoGP tracks have such high-quality surfaces. He compared Brno’s new track to the Losail International Circuit in Qatar, which also had a new surface added two years ago. “Brno is now better than most tracks. It’s on the same level as Qatar, which is still in perfect condition,” he said for iDNES.cz.

The cost of the renovation was high, over 180 million Czech koruna (more than 7 million euros). The upgrade was funded privately, with the support of the Creditas Group. Besides the new asphalt, many other parts of the race area were improved. Workers repaired curbs, run-off zones, parking areas, and some of the grandstand seating. Even bathrooms and other visitor facilities were upgraded.

“This was a scientific job,” said Petr Boháč, a spokesperson for the circuit in a press statement. “We had to find the perfect mix of materials to make the surface just right for racing.”

For Filip Salač, racing in Brno will be special. He has competed here before, but not since 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when there were no fans. Now he is looking forward to racing again in front of a full crowd. “Last time I felt too much pressure and didn’t enjoy it,” he said in an interview for Sport.cz. “This time I want to enjoy the weekend and give the Czech fans something to cheer about.”

Yet, before the action arrives in Brno, riders will still have races in Aragon, Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany. But the race weekend is getting slowly closer, making it more exciting.