The MotoGP calendar has been changed again due to the ongoing outbreak of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. This time, it is the Argentina round of the series, due to be held in Termas de Rio Hondo on April 19th, which has been postponed. The race has now been set for November 22nd, the date Valencia was moved to in yesterday's updated calendar, with Valencia now slated for November 29th.
Moving the Argentina race became almost inevitable, after the Argentine round of MXGP at Neuquen was rescheduled last night. With more and more countries imposing travel restrictions on Italians - Malaysia will be imposing a ban on Italian passport holders, and anyone who has been in Italy in the last 14 days from this Friday, March 13th - organizing events for a sport with such a significant Italian component has become nigh-on impossible.
The latest calendar update imposes a punishing schedule on the second half of the season. The season resumes with back-to-back races at Brno and Austria, followed by a relatively genteel period with a weekend off, then Silverstone, another weekend off, and then Misano.
From there, the schedule gets really tough. There is a weekend off after Misano, and then Aragon and Thailand back-to-back, another weekend off and then the Australasian triple-header of Motegi, Phillip Island, and Sepang. There is a final free weekend after Sepang, and then Austin, Argentina, and Valencia on three consecutive weekends.
There is good reason to believe this will not be the final version of the calendar. The logistics of getting material in and out of Termas De Rio Honda is incredibly difficult, making a trip from Austin to Argentina to Valencia extremely tough to achieve. The last time Argentina was back-to-back, there were problems getting all the equipment needed to the circuit on time. Adding Argentina after Austin also puts two races between Sepang and Valencia, while Sepang's contract guarantees that it will be the penultimate race.
However, by postponing everything until the end of the year, it gives Dorna breathing to wait and see how the coronovirus outbreak develops. The situation is changing incredibly quickly, making planning almost impossible at this point. We have already had three updated calendars in seven days, and two updates on consecutive days.
Dorna can now focus on trying to make the (now) first scheduled round of the year happen at Jerez, on May 3rd, by whatever means possible, perhaps even running it behind closed doors. By the time we get to the summer break, there will be a much clearer idea of what is happening in the world.
Below is the revised calendar:
FIM Grand Prix World Championship
2020 Calendar, 11 March
Gran Premio Motul de la Republica Argentina rescheduled for November
Due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the Argentina GP has been postponed
The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports regret to announce the postponement of the Gran Premio Motul de la Republica Argentina, which was set to take place from the 17th to the 19th of April. Due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the event has been rescheduled for later in the season and will now take place from the 20th to the 22nd of November.
The Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana will therefore now be held from the 27th to the 29th of November.
The Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas retains its new date from the 13th to the 15th of November, a week before the rescheduled Gran Premio Motul de la Republica Argentina.
Following these schedule changes, the 2020 MotoGP™ class season is now set to begin with the Gran Premio Red Bull de España at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto from the 1st to the 3rd of May 2020.
Dates for the Moto2™ and Moto3™ test in Valencia and the MotoGP™ test in Jerez at the end of the year will be decided once the season is underway.
Date | Grand prix | Circuit |
08 March | Qatar* | Losail International Circuit |
03 May | Spain | Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto |
17 May | France | Le Mans |
31 May | Italy | Autodromo del Mugello |
07 June | Catalunya | Barcelona - Catalunya |
21 June | Germany | Sachsenring |
28 June | Netherlands | TT Circuit Assen |
12 July | Finland** | KymiRing |
09 August | Czech Republic | Automotodrom Brno |
16 August | Austria | Red Bull Ring-Spielberg |
30 August | Great Britain | Silverstone |
13 September | San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini | Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli |
27 September | Aragón | MotorLand Aragón |
04 October | Thailand | Chang International Circuit |
18 October | Japan | Twin Ring Motegi |
25 October | Australia | Philip Island |
01 November | Malaysia | Sepang International Circuit |
15 November | Americas | Circuit of the Americas |
22 November | Republica Argentina | Termas de Rio Hondo |
29 November | Comunitat Valenciana | Comunitat Valenciana-Ricardo Tormo |
* Evening - Moto2 and Moto3 only
** Subject to FIM Homologation
To read the rest of this article, you need to sign up to become a MotoMatters.com site supporter by taking out a subscription. You can find out more about subscribing to MotoMatters.com here. If you are already a subscriber, log in to read the full text.
This is part of a regular series of unique insights into the world of motorcycle racing, exclusive for MotoMatters.com site supporters. The series includes interviews, background information, in-depth analysis, and opinion, and is available to everyone supporting the site by taking out a subscription.
If you would like to read more of our exclusive content you can join the growing band of site supporters, by taking out a subscription here. If you prefer, you can also support us on our Patreon page and get access to the same exclusive material there.
Comments
what a dilemma
Already it's become hard to comment without either sounding like a selfish pig or sanctimonious git. Maybe we should all watch an old cracker picked by David in lieu of the cancelled race and do our thing on here with the benefit of massive hindsight. Wouldn't it be great to get comment from the riders of the time.
PI 2015
Let’s do the race where Rossi blamed the GOAT for his lack of results in the race, instead of blaming his buddy AI.
The latter
The latter
Or...
Actually I was thinking more along the lines of GP500, something so distant that no-one (apart from VR) is still riding. Or at least far enough back to avoid current controversies.
Great idea.
I would like the addendum that we all get to watch the insanity of the 2017 Phillip Island race again. While we're at it if we could have one Casey Stoner's riding a Ducati sideways faster than anyone else can ride facing forwards races (Misano 2007 might have been a particularly good one? I forget) that would be nice too.
Anderstorp
It would be awesome to watch the 1983 Swedish GP from Anderstorp when in the penultimate corner Spencer pushed Roberts wide for the win and the world championship👍👍👍👍👍
King Kenny
King Kenny was nobody's berm. Something to the effect of 'If he wants it that bad he can have it'. Here's a consolation vid:
youtube.com/watch?v=bomoMbvojvs
Wide
Pushing was maybe the wrong word to use but Kenny definitely couldn’t turn in since Spencer was right there.
Pushing
Or barging into or ramming...any of the above will do lol
Eyewitness account what really happened
https://youtu.be/4y9lDhtsoL0
What a nightmare for Michelin
What a nightmare for Michelin. Different temps than they are used to...
Where's Jinx?
Does anybody know where Jinx has been lately? I miss his comments.
I like the idea of watching and commenting on some classic races. I started watching MotoGP in 2013. My parents wouldn't let me make eye contact with a motorcycle when I was a kid (they both worked in the medical field) so I never knew Grand Prix motorcycle racing was a thing. At some point in 2012 I wandered into a Ducati dealership and saw a poster of Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden and it dawned on me for the first time there was a motorcycle equivalent to F1. I watched my first race in 2013 and don't think I've bothered to watch a full F1 race since. So yeah, watching some of the pre-Marquez era classics would be fun. I've never seen Casey Stoner race, for example, let alone the greats of the previous eras.
Why are they still in Italy
Am I missing something? Why are riders and teams still in Italy? Yes places are cancelling mass gatherings and events, but why are they still there? Why didn't they leave before the lockdown, do their quarantine and then we might be able to race?
2017 Phillip Island
Let's do!
PHILLIP ISLAND 2017
25 min (slightly choppy for first half) edit, not ideal but good enough.
Rubbing is racing
"Last lap" battles EVERY LAP
Mob fight - just watched this twice. Tire selection intrigue, tons of beautiful riding and aggressive racecraft. There are two handfuls of the most brilliant moves you will ever see in motorcycle racing here friends. Everyone but poor Dovisioso and Aleix Espargaro ought to enjoy a re-watch. Look at Zarco! And Rossi. And...everyone. SHEEZUS what a great race!
(Request/suggest we enjoy interesting RACING, and eschew "controversy" re-hash drivel a-la Trash.net. Thank you!)
:)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9PIkxW4zxzI
So much to choose from!
I'd definitely go with that sentiment, tribalism is okay in the moment but there's a lot to be said for simply enjoying the extraordinary skill that's been on display over the years. Sparked by the above I watched a few clips of Freddie Spencer on YouTube. Wow. Double wow. Power sliding to the extreme, way above anything I've seen over the last 20 years. Obviously the nature of the bikes back then required this but the bikes even look raw.
I also watched vale's first GP500 win at Donnington in 2000, partly out of nostalgia as I was there though rooting for KR jr. Time plays tricks on the memory, I've always thought it was a pretty soft win but in fact it was a pretty good race by any standards.
How'd you do it, Freddie?
Indeed!
What did Spencer think of what he did and how? Including Spain 1983 with Kenny Roberts?
6 mins with Fast Freddie for you Lilyvani...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AboP7jBi5tQ
Laguna Seca 2005
Full race, Laguna Seca 2005
This race is a special one for me for many reasons.
Nicky, thank you for everything. Words can't capture the appreciation. Brilliant mate. Inspired. Inspiring. Trancendent. This track is SO technical, the dive left into the corkscrew fall of course. But same for the sweeping odd camber left of Rainey curve. The crested kink in the "straight." Getting slowed down into turn two as it compresses into one thin meager line. The WHOLE climb back up the hill towards the top is SO...weird and difficult. There are two bloody conventional turns on the whole layout, each a turn away from either end of the "straight." Straight meaning that it has a turn in the middle people get airborne in. F*cking hell!
Viva #69
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=meosKxgJhVA
Casey Stoner #27
Casey Stoner #27
The opposite of a front wheel riding Lorenzo/Yamaha, enjoy how a rider can blast their rear qualitatively differently time and time again. Has there ever been better throttle control as a centerpiece of a riding style?
3 1/2 mins from BBC "T3 at P.I., why call it Stoner corner?"
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_OhvhjpkhiU&t=89s
30 seconds slow motion (LOOK AT THIS LINE, and perfect driving spin, traction control set at minimum, right hand and balls turned to 11)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CDhp11mKYyk
9 min mashup of porn level clips from the HRC years.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8TXF5Fzh6L0
5 mins highlights of Laguna Seca 2008 Stoner - Rossi gamesmanship
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JY9mrKR5SkA&t=145s
2007 Qatar, last laps -
Poor Italians had their bike VS their rider, really boils their noodles
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0JDNCZyaVXM
By popular request...
DONNNINGTON PARK 2000 GP Full Race
500cc brilliance
Some Italian kid's 1st big bike win
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IWiM2EAux0o
I was there
Sparse crowd-there was double there for the BSB showdown between Hodgson and Walker- squally showers (British word, look it up), an incredible 'wet' race where the late great Ralf Waldmann's wrong tyres became the right tyres right on the chequered flag. Cracking 500 with KRJR, Rossi and Jeremy McWilliams on the big Aprilia, greatness was just beginning but not a lot of folk were interested then, thank god for four strokes!
Oh and Motoshrink, it's Donington with one 'n'. Causes riots amongst some bike types in Blighty (ok, me and a few bitter pals..) 😃
Nice!
Nice!
Er, nnice. And excited for Scottish inndepenndennce now that you blokes Brexited).
Mis-typed that one in me wee phonne
Fixed.
Still enjoying McWilliams btw, he is developing bikes for KTM like the mean raw Superduke. Seems a neat guy. Where did KRJr disappear to?
MORE RACE VIDS? I've watched all these.
:)
ASSEN 1992
ASSEN 1992
What is cool about it? Have a peek. Full Race
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=omk5sHY2xwI
Australia 1999
Australia 1999
Full Race, kind if fun (and makes me feel old)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yAe4LDLIPBM