2005 MotoGP calendar confirmed.

The FIM has confirmed that the 17 round 2005 MotoGP World Championship season will feature two news events - in China and America - but will not return to South Africa.

The provisional list, revealed on August 20, stated that either Welkom (top pic - venue for Valentino Rossi debut Yamaha victory) or Rio would stay on the calendar; the Brazilian venue has now won that contest and will host round two of the 2005 championship on April 17.

Meanwhile, new venues Shanghai (middle pic - which hosted its first F1 race this season) and Laguna Seca (lower pic - currently undergoing safety modifications to meet GP requirements) had both been present on the provisional list and will take place as planned on May 1 and July 10 respectively.

The only other alteration from the provisional calendar is that the Malaysian Grand Prix, at Sepang, has been moved from October 9 to September 11, one week before the Japanese Grand Prix.

The full calendar can be seen below:

2005 MotoGP calendar.

April 10SpainJerez de la Frontera
April 17RioJacarepagua
May 1ChinaShanghai
May15FranceLe Mans
May 29ItalyMugello
June 5CatalunyaCatalunya
June 19Great BritainDonington Park
June 25 NetherlandsAssen **
July 10United StatesLaguna Seca *
July 24GermanySachsenring
August 28Czech Rep.Brno
September 11MalaysiaSepang
September 18JapanMotegi
October 1 QatarQatar **
October 16AustraliaPhillip Island
October 30PortugalEstoril
November 6ValenciaRicardo Tormo - Valencia

Key:
*: only MotoGP class.
**: Saturday race.