MotoGP cancels opening race at Qatar due to Coronavirus

The season opening MotoGP race in Qatar, scheduled for 8th March at the Losail circuit, has been cancelled due to Coronavirus and the associated travel restrictions brought into force affecting passengers from Italy (among other countries).

In a joint statement, motorcycle racing body FIM, the International Road-Racing Teams Association (IRTA) and rights holder Dorna Sports advised of the cancellation of all MotoGP™ class sessions at the Grand Prix of Qatar, including the race and noted that “as of today (Sunday 1st March 2020), all passengers arriving at Doha on direct flights from Italy, or having been in Italy in the past two weeks, will be taken straight to quarantine for a minimum of 14 days.

The statement advised “Italy clearly plays a vital role in the Championship and in the MotoGP™ class - both on track and off - and therefore the decision has been taken to cancel premier class competition.”

As the teams and riders of the Moto2™ and Moto3™ classes were already in Qatar for the three-day official test at Losail International Circuit earlier this week, the races of both categories will be possible. The lightweight and intermediate classes will therefore compete in their season opener from the 6th to 8th March. The same will apply to the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup, which will have two races during the Qatar Grand Prix as originally planned.

Italy has confirmed that the death toll from the Coronavirus has risen to 34 with confirmed cases now at 1576.