Just days after the announcement that the Australian and British MotoGP rounds for 2020 had been cut due to Covid-19 creating scheduling issues, Dorna Sports and the FIM have announced another GP won’t run this year - the Motul Grand Prix of Japan.
Announced on the official MotoGP website, MotoGP.com Monday night, the cancellation of the event has also been attributed to the ongoing pandemic.
The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports regret to announce the cancellation of the Motul Grand Prix of Japan. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has obliged the cancellation of the event, which was set to take place from the 16th to the 18th of October at the Twin Ring Motegi.
The home of MotoGP™ manufacturers Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki, Japan is vital to the global presence and success of MotoGP™.
The iconic Twin Ring Motegi has been on the calendar since 1999 and the FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports very much look forward to returning to race at the venue in 2021, in front of some of the most dedicated and loyal fans in the world.
Kaoru Tanaka, President, Mobilityland Corporation: “Mobilityland has been preparing for this year’s MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix, however the situations in Japan and Europe are unpredictable and the extension of the international travel ban is expected. As a result of our discussions with Dorna, the managerial body of the series, we agreed that we have no choice but to cancel the Japanese GP in order to complete the season. We understand that this is a great disappointment for fans and all related parties. We thank you for your understanding.”
Currently the next scheduled race of the MotoGP calendar is the Monster Energy Grand Prix České republiky in the Czech Republic on August the 7th.