MotoGP issues revised calendar following coronavirus disruptions

Dorna has issued a revised calendar for the 2020 MotoGP season after cancellations and postponements of its opening rounds due to coronavirus measures.

This weekend’s Qatar round will proceed with Moto2 and Moto3 only while premier class running has been cancelled due to travel restrictions on those arriving from Italy.

Thailand’s grand prix, which was to have been the second round of the world championship, was postponed due to a cancellation of events in that nation which will attract large gatherings.

The Buriram race weekend has now been rescheduled for the first weekend of October, triggering the move of the Aragon round forward one week to September 25-27.

Those are the only further changes for now, although Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta is not willing to make any guarantees given the fluid nature of the coronavirus outbreak.

“What will happen in the future? This is something we can’t prevent,” said Ezpeleta.

“The situation keeps changing around the world, every day.

“The only thing I can say is that we will try to do everything possible; postpone or whatever.

“Our aim today is to work together, as we’ve been doing all this time, to try to make the Championship. In the best possible conditions, but to try to maintain the Championship with the maximum number of races we can. We are prepared to do that.”

Thailand’s move puts it back with the other Asia-Pacific flyaway races having occupied the same weekend last year.

Meanwhile, the Catalunya event in June will see the racing return of Jorge Lorenzo as a wildcard.

As it stands, the first round of MotoGP in 2020 will be the Grand Prix of The Americas on April 3-5 (local time).

MotoGP 2020 calendar