Where does MotoGP go now Valencia has been cancelled?

Although the Valencia MotoGP season finale is now officially cancelled, due to the disastrous flooding, the replacement venue is yet to be announced.

Rumours at Sepang in Malaysia, the venue for this weekend’s penultimate event, suggested riders might be informed of the new finale before Saturday’s Sprint.

The theory was that title rivals Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin might adjust their tactics this weekend, depending on if they consider the replacement circuit to favour one or the other.

Either way, riders insisted they still didn't know the identity of the new finale when speaking to the media on Saturday evening.

An alternative Spanish event, a trip 'next door’ to Portimao or a flyaway in Qatar are the rumoured candidates.

“I think we don't have to do it in Spain honestly, because anywhere we go in Spain is so close to what’s happening,” said GASGAS Tech3’s Augusto Fernandez.

“It's not nice what's happening there and every day we discover more deaths.

“So I don't feel to celebrate anywhere, but [especially] close to that place. So let's see, we will wait for the decision of Dorna.”

MotoGP is also thought to be open to moving the November 15-17 date if, for example, Michelin needs more time to produce and ship the necessary tyres.

But a later date means even colder temperatures in Europe, adding weight to speculation that Qatar, which opened the new MotoGP season in March, might also close it.

However, while the cold European autumn would not be an issue, Lusail has to prepare for its F1 Grand Prix on December 6-8. 

There is also the question of whether the one-day post-race test can take place "at the same circuit used for the final event" as stated in the regulations.

In a sign of how open the choice of replacement remains, Alex Marquez felt that Spain would still be appropriate.

“I’m super happy with the decision Dorna made [to cancel Valencia],” Marquez said. 

“I think it’s the correct one and it’s the decision that all the riders were pushing for because every day that passes it’s more of a nightmare, things getting worse and worse.

“I hope to have the last race in Spain, and close to Valencia - so maybe Montmelo or Aragon, but also Jerez is nice - and make something for Valencia. Some pre-event and try to raise some money for the Valencia people.”

The new finale will also be the last grand prix of countryman Aleix Espargaro’s full-time MotoGP career.

The scenes of destruction and rising fatalities in the Valencia region have hit the Aprilia rider hard.

“I'm very sad, really,” Espargaro said on Saturday. "I feel maybe it's not very fair [that I feel so sad] because what happened in Valencia happens also in different places in the world, and I never felt like this.

“Maybe I feel like this because I feel like it's my home, I have some friends there. But I feel really really bad here this weekend.

“I think it's fair not to go to Valencia, because - even if we help them somehow with raising money or whatever - our sport is a show, a party, and I think it's not a place to go and party.

“I don't know where we go [now], but I will try as a rider to talk with the others and see how we can help Valencia, how we can raise some money. 

"I talked yesterday with Carlos Ezpeleta and also Carmelo, to see from a rider's side what we can do.”

Another factor to consider is that the 2024 title can now be mathematically decided, in Jorge Martin's favour, in Malaysia on Sunday. 

Should that happen, the attraction for a circuit stepping in to host the new final round will be massively reduced. Although suggestions that the finale could then be scrapped altogether appear wide of the mark.

However, with the Moto2 and Moto3 world champions already crowned, a 'MotoGP only' event might be on the cards, especially if the chosen finale means a flyaway trip to Qatar.