GERMAN, DUTCH, FINNISH GPS CANCELLED

Announced by the FIM, IRTA and Dorna on 29 April, the cancellation of all three rounds also means the cancellation of supporting MotoE, Northern Talent Cup and Red Bull Rookies Cup events.

Due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions, the MotoGP category had to abandon its opening race at Qatar, although Moto3 and Moto2 did race. Since then, the next six grands prix, including flyaways and European rounds, have been either rescheduled or postponed indefinitely as Dorna looks to maintain a full 20-round season. The 29 April announcement marks the first outright cancellation of GP rounds.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the cancellation of these three important Grands Prix on the MotoGP calendar,” said Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta. “The German GP is raced on a truly unique track with an incredible history, and the KymiRing is an exciting new venue set to welcome Grand Prix motorcycle racing back to Finland for the first time since 1982. And the iconic TT Circuit Assen had the unique honour of being the only venue to have held a round of the motorcycle racing Grand Prix World Championship every year, uninterrupted, since the Championship began in 1949.”

Originally scheduled for June and July, the cancellation of the HJC Helmets Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, the Motul TT Assen and the Grand Prix of Finland means that August will now be the tentative return date for racing and the first race for the MotoGP category in 2020. Brno is scheduled to host the Czech GP on 7-9 August.

The cancellation of the German, Dutch and Finnish GPs follows postponements for the Spanish, French, Italian and Catalan GPs. Originally scheduled for May and June, no new calendar date has been announced for these rounds at time of writing and it seems more than likely they will also be cancelled.