MotoGP and WSBK at Donington Park in 2009

Donington Park will be hosting the only World Championship motorcycle race action in Britain next year with the confirmation that both the MotoGP and Superbike events will be held at the Leicestershire parkland circuit.

“We are delighted to be once again hosting these prestigious events,” said the circuit’s Chief Executive Officer Simon Gillett. “In the World Superbikes we will have one of the strongest ever British challenges while in MotoGP our local hero James Toseland will be taking on the world’s best led by the six times champion Valentino Rossi.”

The ninth and British round of the World Superbike Championship will be held over the weekend of 26-27-28 June. Heading up a major domestic bid for honours in the production based championship will be twice British Superbike Champion Shane Byrne, riding the Sterilgarda Ducati.

Ranged against him will be Jonathan Rea, who moves up from a year in World Supersports to ride the Ten Kate Honda Fireblade. Tom Sykes will be on the factory Yamaha, with Leon Haslam riding Stiggy Honda and Tommy Hill also be aboard a Honda.

They will face tough challenges in the double race action with Noriyuki Haga, gunning for the crown aboard a factory Ducati while Troy Corser heads up the all-new BMW challenge and Max Biaggi rides Aprilia.

Additionally Cal Crutchlow will be riding Yamaha in his quest for World Supersport title.

A month later, 24-25-26 July, and the world's elite riders take to the circuit in the British round of the World MotoGP Championship. Rossi, who regards this race as his second home event, will be keen to add to his seven race winning pedigree at the circuit as he races Yamaha against the Ducatis of former champions Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden.

Toseland, in his second term with the Tech3 Yamaha team, will be keen to turn on the speed and style in front of his home crowd and that is also the case for Scott Redding, eager to repeat his 125cc Grand Prix victory of this year, though under some pressure from both Bradley Smith and Danny Webb.

Donington will also host a round of the British Superbike Championship over the 23rd-24th-25th May Spring Bank Holiday weekend.

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