Afyon Motor Sports Center
Afyon Motor Sports Center at a glance
- Location
- Afyonkarahisar, Afyonkarahisar Province
- Type
- motocross
- Length
- 1.725 km (1.072 mi)
- Turns
- 17
- Surface
- hard-pack soil
- Opened
- 2016
- Owner
- Afyonkarahisar Municipality
- Website
- turkeymxgp.com
Track map and layout
The Afyon Motor Sports Center is a purpose-built, 1.725 km motocross circuit with 17 turns cut into hard-pack soil on the edge of Afyonkarahisar, next to the city's Yeni Şehir Stadium. Like most permanent MXGP venues it combines tight, rutted turns with jump sections and elevation changes typical of hard-pack tracks, and the facility has been repeatedly upgraded since opening, earning organiser awards for infrastructure and paddock quality during its early Grand Prix years. The layout is used for both the men's and women's FIM Motocross World Championship formats when the Grand Prix visits.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| MXGP Grand Prix layout | 1.72 km | 1.725 km, 17 turns; the configuration used for MXGP of Turkey/Türkiye rounds |
Events and race weekends
The circuit hosts the MXGP of Türkiye, a round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, and has done so in most seasons since 2018 (with a gap during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020), reaching its ninth edition in 2026. It also hosted rounds of the FIM Women's Motocross World Championship in 2021, plus Turkish national motocross championships and the 2019 European Motorcycle Acrobatics Championships finals.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MXGP of Türkiye | FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP) | September | held most years since 2018, part of the MXGP calendar's European/Middle East swing |
Getting there and parking
Afyonkarahisar is a mid-sized city in western-central Turkey, reachable by domestic flight or by road/rail from Istanbul, Izmir or Ankara. The circuit sits on the edge of the city near the Yeni Şehir Stadium, a short taxi ride from the centre.
- Afyonkarahisar Airport (AFY) · about 20 min drive
Afyonkarahisar Airport has limited scheduled flights; many visitors instead fly into Izmir or Istanbul and continue by road or intercity bus/rail.
Hotels and camping near Afyon Motor Sports Center
Afyonkarahisar is a regional city known for its thermal spa hotels and historic hilltop castle, with a range of accommodation in the city centre a short drive from the circuit; visitors for the MXGP weekend typically book well ahead as the event draws fans from across Turkey and the wider MXGP paddock.
Where to look
Afyonkarahisar city centre and the nearby thermal spa hotel district for the widest choice of accommodation.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
The circuit is a competition and training facility operated by the Turkish Motorcycle Federation rather than a pay-to-ride public track; access outside championship events is generally organised through Turkish motocross clubs and national federation events rather than open commercial track days.
Spectator guide
As a motocross venue, spectators watch from open hillside and trackside vantage points around the circuit rather than fixed grandstands, giving views across multiple jumps and turns from most points around the lap during the MXGP of Türkiye weekend.
Seating
General admission hillside and trackside viewing areas around the lap; limited grandstand seating near the finish line and podium area during Grand Prix weekends.
Best places to watch
Elevated hillside areas overlooking the jump sections give the widest view of the track; areas near the start straight and finish line are busiest.
Weather
- September (race weekend): warm, dry late-summer days with daytime highs typically around 25-30°C
History of Afyon Motor Sports Center
A purpose-built home for Turkish motocross
The Afyon Motor Sports Center opened in 2016 in Afyonkarahisar, a regional city in western-central Turkey known for its thermal springs and historic castle, built by the local municipality as a dedicated venue for Turkish national motocross championships. Its hard-pack 1.725 km, 17-turn layout was designed from the outset with an eye toward hosting international competition, and it staged Turkish Motocross Championship rounds in its first two years before the Turkish Motorcycle Federation secured a round of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
Joining the MXGP calendar
The circuit made its Grand Prix debut in September 2018 as host of the inaugural MXGP of Turkey, returning in 2019, and the organisers were recognised with 'Best Infrastructure' and 'Best Paddock' awards in both years, a rare achievement for a track making its championship debut. Afyonkarahisar also hosted rounds of the FIM Women's Motocross World Championship in 2021 and staged the finals of the European Motorcycle Acrobatics Championships in 2019, broadening its role beyond motocross alone.
An established MXGP fixture
After a pandemic-enforced gap in 2020, the MXGP of Türkiye returned to the calendar and has continued in most seasons since, reaching its ninth edition in 2026 as round 17 of the FIM Motocross World Championship. The event has attracted some of the sport's leading riders over the years and remains one of the series' regular Turkish fixtures, with the municipality continuing to upgrade the track and paddock facilities ahead of each Grand Prix weekend.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Afyon Motor Sports Center track?+
The motocross circuit is 1.725 km (1.072 miles) long with 17 turns, laid out on hard-pack soil.
Does the Afyon circuit host a round of the Motocross World Championship?+
Yes. It hosts the MXGP of Türkiye, a round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, held in most seasons since 2018 (with a 2020 pandemic gap), reaching its ninth edition in 2026.
When did the Afyon Motor Sports Center open?+
The circuit opened in 2016, built by Afyonkarahisar Municipality and operated by the Turkish Motorcycle Federation.
Has Afyon hosted women's motocross world championship events?+
Yes. The circuit hosted rounds of the FIM Women's Motocross World Championship in 2021.
Can the public ride the Afyon Motor Sports Center track?+
It functions mainly as a competition and training venue for Turkish motocross clubs and the national federation rather than a commercial pay-to-ride facility, so public access is generally organised through club or federation events.
Other tracks nearby
- Istanbul Park · 258 km · road course
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.