British, Dutch and Qatari WSBK rounds cancelled
After releasing a revised 2020 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship calendar on 19 June with two To Be Confirmed rounds and three To Be Determined rounds, the FIM and Dorna WSBK Organization (DWO) confirmed on 24 July that the provisional calendar’s three TBD rounds have been dropped. These were the UK round at Donington Park, Dutch round at Assen and Qatar round at Losail.
Citing the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, the FIM and DWO stated that a solution incorporating every venue on the calendar was no longer possible.
Donington Park hosted the very first Superbike World championship round in 1988 and its removal from the 2020 calendar marks the first time in WSBK history that a round won’t be held in the United Kingdom.
The Dutch Round at Assen has been a permanent fixture on the calendar since 1992, while the Qatar Round at Losail has been a part of WSBK, off and on, since 2005 and has served as the finale to the season, held under lights, since 2014.
Gregorio Lavilla, Executive Director of the Sporting and Organisation Departments commented: “I am personally very sad to announce the subsequent cancellations of the three rounds. As a fan of our sport, I am extremely saddened not to go to WorldSBK’s birthplace at Donington Park and the ‘Cathedral of Speed’ at Assen. I am equally sad to not have the spectacle of a night race in Qatar, always something we look forward to.
“We explored all avenues in order to find a solution but unfortunately, one could not be found. However, this mustn’t cast a cloud over the Championship. The majority of our events in 2020 will happen and plans for a full, complete 2021 are well underway.
“We would like to thank everyone involved for their tireless work and cooperation, and also the fans for waiting patiently before our season resumes.”
These latest cancellations leave the 2020 championship standing at just nine rounds. Two of those, Argentina and Italy, remain as ‘TBC’. If they’re also dropped, the season will conclude at Magny-Cours on 2-4 October. DWO advises that any further updates will be communicated in due course.
After almost five months without racing, the 2020 WSBK season resumes at Jerez this weekend – 31 July–2 August.
Photos: courtesy of IRPR
