The Assen TT circuit will construct a new grandstand at the Ramshoek to join the existing fans areas around the Geert Timmer chicane and starting grid.

Assen, which hosts MotoGP, World Superbikes and British Superbikes, will open up its iconic grandstands with a new Winterdijk grandstand to increase its seating capacity by 9,100 plus new viewing areas for fans. Construction work will begin this month and is expected to be completed in time for the 2018 season with its first major event, WSBK, visiting on the 20-22 April.

The upgrade is estimated to cost around €4million with half of the funds being supplied by the local government and the other half from the circuit owners. The new stand will be 308 metres in length and 13 metres tall to provide views of the Ramshoek corner, Geert Timmer chicane and surrounding track. The surrounding facilities will also be improved with new catering and toilet facilities for fans plus fibre optic cables. The work is being carried out as a wide scale upgrade on the Assen TT circuit, marking the track’s first update since its major redesign a decade ago.

“The Cathedral” hosts the longest-running event on the MotoGP calendar having been part of the world championship since 1949. In 2016, Assen signed a new deal to keep MotoGP returning for another 10 years while last year’s race marked the first time the Dutch event was held on a Sunday.

Earlier this year Assen also secured a five-year extension to its World Superbike deal to see the series return to the circuit until at least the end of 2021, while the circuit also has an ongoing deal in place with BSB to host the only non-British round of the championship.