MotoGP announces 13-round European calendar
MotoGP has officially named the 13 European rounds that will form most, if not all, of its heavily-revised 2020 world championship season.
The pair of proposed season-openers at Jerez in July are to be followed by a single race at Brno, with another double then scheduled for the Red Bull Ring in Austria, where the second race is titled the 'Styria Grand Prix'.
MotoGP has officially named the 13 European rounds that will form most, if not all, of its heavily-revised 2020 world championship season.
The pair of proposed season-openers at Jerez in July are to be followed by a single race at Brno, with another double then scheduled for the Red Bull Ring in Austria, where the second race is titled the 'Styria Grand Prix'.
After a two-weekend 'summer break', Misano will host a pair of races on September 13 and 20th. The first will continue to include the 'San Marino' title with the second named after the 'Emilia Romagna' region.
The biggest question mark prior to the calendar's release was about the postponed Barcelona and Le Mans races, which will now be held on September 27 and October 11 respectively.
That means the Aragon rounds have been shifted to October, with the circuit's second event named the Teruel Grand Prix.
The traditional Valencia finale will be the fifth and final double event of the season, on November 8 and 15. The first event has been named the European Grand Prix.
'All dates and events, as well as the eventual attendance of spectators, are subject to the evolution of the pandemic and the approval of corresponding governments and authorities,' said a Dorna statement.
A decision on any flyaway races will be made by July 31.
Thailand, Malaysia, Argentina and USA are yet to be officially cancelled but, as well as additional immigration difficulties, Dorna's Carmelo Ezpeleta has stated that the Asian races (seen as having a better chance than America and Argentina) would only go ahead if fans are allowed at the track, due to costs.
Any non-European races would be run after Valencia and conclude by mid-December for a maximum of 16 MotoGP rounds. A record 20 races had been originally planned this season.
The European events are set to go ahead behind closed-doors, with a special safety protocol created by MotoGP to get government approval for the events, including frequent COVID checks, social distancing and facemasks as required.
The grid, parc ferme and podium layout/procedure will all be revised as a result.
It is possible that, as the coronavirus situation improves, some fans might be allowed at events towards the end of the season.
For now, the maximum number of paddock members allowed at a MotoGP will be around 1,600 people. MotoGP Factory Teams will be limited to 45 people, Independent Teams 25, with 12 each for Moto2 and Moto3 teams.
A one-day test at Jerez on July 15 will precede the opening race weekend.
Revised 2020 MotoGP Calendar (including free weekends) | |||||||||
Round | Date | Race | Circuit | ||||||
| 15 July | Official Test | Jerez | ||||||
1 | 19 July | Spain | Jerez | ||||||
2 | 26 July | Andalusia | Jerez | ||||||
| 2 August |
|
| ||||||
3 | 9 August | Czech Republic | Brno | ||||||
4 | 16 August | Austria | Red Bull Ring | ||||||
5 | 23 August | Styria | Red Bull Ring | ||||||
30 August | |||||||||
6 September | |||||||||
6 | 13 September | San Marino e Della Riviera di Rimini | Misano | ||||||
7 | 20 September | Emilia Romagna e Della Riviera di Rimini | Misano | ||||||
8 | 27 September | Catalunya | Barcelona | ||||||
4 October | |||||||||
9 | 11 October | France | Le Mans | ||||||
10 | 18 October | Aragon | Aragon | ||||||
11 | 25 October | Teruel | Aragon | ||||||
1 November | |||||||||
12 | 8 November | Europe | Ricardo Tormo | ||||||
13 | 15 November | Comunitat Valenciana | Ricardo Tormo (Final European race) | ||||||
22 November | |||||||||
29 November | |||||||||
| 6 December |
|
| ||||||
| 13 December |
| Deadline for any Flyaway races. | ||||||
MotoGP 2020: List of 'To Be Confirmed' events | |||||||||
1 |
| Thailand (TBC) | Buriram | ||||||
2 |
| Malaysia (TBC) | Sepang | ||||||
3 |
| Americas (TBC) | COTA | ||||||
4 | 22 November | Argentina (TBC) | Termas de Rio Hondo | ||||||
MotoGP 2020: List of Cancelled events | |||||||||
1 |
| Qatar (MotoGP cancelled) | Losail | ||||||
2 |
| Italy (cancelled) | Mugello | ||||||
3 |
| Germany (cancelled) | Sachsenring | ||||||
4 |
| Netherlands (cancelled) | Assen | ||||||
5 |
| Finland (cancelled) | KymiRing | ||||||
6 |
| Great Britain (cancelled) | Silverstone | ||||||
7 |
| Japan (cancelled) | Motegi | ||||||
8 |
| Australia (cancelled) | Phillip Island | ||||||
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
