Provisional 2021 MotoGP calendar revealed
DOHA (Qatar): MotoGP has released its provisional calendar for 2021 season, with the floodlit Losail International Circuit set to remain as the season opener.
The Losail race is the only night-race of the provisional calendar released by MotoGP commercial rights holder Dorna Sports on Friday.
The provisional 20-round calendar for the 2021 championship has designated three events in Portugal, Indonesia and Russia listed as reserves.
The 2021 schedule largely follows the blueprint of the original pre-Covid affected 2020 calendar, with Qatar hosting the season opener once again on March 28th, slightly later the planned 2020 round.
Incidentally Qatar, which has a contract to host the MotoGP races till 2031, will be hosting the season opener for the 15th year, including this year’s cancelled one, out of which 14 races have been held under floodlights.
The 2020 calendar was decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the original 20-round schedule scrapped in favour of a 14-round calendar focused on Europe which began at Jerez in July.
The European season begins with the Spanish Grand Prix on 2 May, with the French, Italian, Catalan, German and Dutch GPs following as per the 2020 schedule.
MotoGP’s return to Finland – which was due to take place this year before the pandemic struck – is scheduled for 11 July, though is subject to the Kymi Ring receiving homologation from the FIM.
The Finnish GP is scheduled to bring the first half of the season to a close, though it is unclear when racing will resume after the summer break.
The early August date typically used for the Czech GP at Brno between the Finnish and the Austrian GP on 15 August currently has no date or venue, though Brno does have a deal for 2021.
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta explained Brno’s current absence is a result of the circuit needing resurfaced following complaints this year, but the changes to the South Moravian government have not confirmed these works will go ahead.
The British GP at Silverstone will return on 29 August, with the Aragon GP moved up to 12 September followed by the San Marino GP at Misano the week after.
(With inputs from agencies)
