THE MotorLand Aragon Board of Directors has dismissed the circuit’s manager after it was revealed he had spent nearly €100,000 without authorisation.
MotorLand, the home of the Aragon round of WorldSBK, the Aragon Grand Prix and the Motorland Technopark (where Moto2 engines are prepared, and the home of the MotoStudent competition), has had its manager dismissed after he spent €94,300 (£80,000) without authorisation from the Board of Directors.
Santiago Abad, the now former manager of the MotorLand Aragon circuit, was studying for a Master’s degree on the “Senior Management Program” at IE Business School, according to Soy Motero. MotorLand was already agreeing to partially pay for Abad’s Master’s, with a total of €19,000. Soy Motero also reports that there were €10,000 paid by MotorLand for another degree in IE University.
However, the major contribution to the €94,300 total was the new offices that Abad had built for himself. Alone, the offices cost €60,500, and to this there was no authorisation from the Board. Soy Motero says that the new offices Abad was having built included an office area and a shower, and were relocated. Abad’s explanation of the expenses were deemed unconvincing by the MotorLand Board, hence the decision to dismiss Abad.
MotorLand is now looking for a new manager, but in the meantime Soy Motero reports the position will be filled by two people: firstly, the Aragon Institute for Development director, Pilar Molinero, and the same institute’s deputy managing director, Jesus Lopez Cabeza.
The news comes just over a month after MotorLand hosted the season-opening Aragon round of the WorldSBK championship. The circuit will also host the MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon later this year, in September, just a week before the Japanese Grand Prix in Motegi.
