The 2017 MotoGP calendar is now officially confirmed. The FIM removed the provisional status of the calendar after Dorna finalized contracts with the two remaining circuits still left with an asterisk: Silverstone and Sepang.
The situation with Sepang had been settled earlier, with Sepang keen to retain a MotoGP race for the long term. Sepang has grown to become one of the best-attended races on the calendar. So large are the crowds that they now easily outnumber attendance for F1, which the circuit is trying to drop.
Silverstone was the last race to be finalized. Representatives from the Circuit of Wales, which holds the contract for the British round of MotoGP, had traveled to the Movistar Yamaha launch in Madrid, where they met with Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta.
There, they finalized arrangements for this year’s round of MotoGP. Despite the Circuit of Wales still only existing on paper, the British round will continue to be nominally hosted by the circuit for as long as they keep complying with their financial obligations to Dorna. Until the circuit is finished, the race is likely to stay at Silverstone.
Below is the now official MotoGP calendar for 2017:
Date | Grand Prix | Venue |
March 26th | Qatar* | Losail International Circuit |
April 9th | República Argentina | Termas de Río Hondo |
April 23rd | Americas | Circuit of The Americas |
May 7th | Spain | Circuito de Jerez |
May 21st | France | Le Mans |
June 4th | Italy | Autodromo del Mugello |
June 11th | Catalunya | Barcelona – Catalunya |
June 25th | Netherlands | TT Circuit Assen |
July 2nd | Germany | Sachsenring |
August 6th | Czech Republic | Automotodrom Brno |
August 13th | Austria | Red Bull Ring – Spielberg |
August 27th | Great Britain | Silverstone Circuit |
September 10th | San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini | Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli |
September 24th | Aragón | MotorLand Aragón |
October 15th | Japan | Twin Ring Motegi |
October 22nd | Australia | Phillip Island |
October 29th | Malaysia | Sepang International Circuit |
November 12th | Comunitat Valenciana | Comunitat Valenciana – Ricardo Tormo |
* Night race
Source: MotoGP; Photo: © 2016 Tony Goldsmith / www.tonygoldsmith.net – All Rights Reserved
This article was originally published on MotoMatters, and is republished here on Asphalt & Rubber with permission by the author.
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