2021 MotoGP provisional calendar released – Malaysia set for Oct 31, pending lifting of travel restrictions

Race organiser Drone has released a revised provisional calendar for the 2021 MotoGP season. This comes after the postponement of the Argentina GP and Americas GP to the last quarter of this year.

Racing begins in Qatar with two consecutive weekends of racing, the Qatar Grand Prix and the Doha Grand Prix, on March 28 and April 4. The MotoGP circus then moves to Europe withe racing confined to the continent from April 18 to September 19, with racing on the Continent kicking off in Portugal.

Aside from the usual round of circuits MotoGP fans are familiar with, the Kymiring circuit makes its debut on the weekend of July 11, marking the return of premier class motorcycle racing to Finland since 1981. Racing was scheduled to take place in 2020 but shelved due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Concluding racing in Europe on September 19 in Misano, Italy, MotoGP race teams then move to Twin Ring Motegi, Japan, on October 3 for the first of the fly-away rounds in the Far East. This is followed by Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand on October 10 before the circus heads to Australia for the Phillip Island Grand Prix on October 24.

Racing then returns to Sepang on October 31 with the Malaysian Grand Prix before the racing season ends with the traditional final MotoGP race in Valencia, Spain on November 14. Initially scheduled as a 22-fixture racing calendar, there are now 19 rounds for the 2021 MotoGP season, with Mandalika circuit in Indonesia serving as a reserve Grand Prix venue, pending circuit homologation.

For Malaysia, Sepang International Circuit remains optimistic the Malaysian MotoGP round will take place as planned, with proposals submitted to the Malaysian Home Ministry (KDN) for pro-active pandemic containment measures to be taken. These include a “travel bubble” for racers and MotoGP personnel and movement restricted between airport, hotel and circuit.

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