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Opinion: The Danger of Expanding the MotoGP Calendar

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It is looking increasingly like the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand will be added to the MotoGP calendar for the 2018 season.

I understand from sources that there was a significant hurdle to be overcome: circuit title sponsor Chang is a major beer brand in Thailand, and a rival to the Official MotoGP Beer Singha, also a major beer brand in Thailand and further abroad. The race can only happen if a compromise has been found to accommodate this conflict.

This is good news for Thailand, and good news for fans in Asia. The World Superbike round at the circuit is always packed, and MotoGP should be even more popular. It is hard to overstate just how massive MotoGP is in that part of the world.

From India, through Southeast Asia, motorcycle racing in general and MotoGP in particular has a huge following. But the only country in the region that has a race is Malaysia, hosting its Grand Prix at Sepang.

So expanding the calendar to include Thailand is a welcome addition for fans in the region. If the financial and logistical problems with organizing a race in Indonesia ever get sorted, then there might even be a third race in the region, at the Palembang circuit in South Sumatra.

Given the massive interest in MotoGP from that country, it is a racing certainty that any race there will be a complete sell out.

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Official: 2011 Provisional MotoGP Calendar

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MotoGP’s official but tentative 2011 Provisional Calendar has finally been released, and it is very different from two weeks ago. With races appearing in different orders, and scheduled on different weeks, the new calendar seems to be a fairly substantial departure from the typical MotoGP program. Despite these changes, the calendar confirms rumors that the Qatar GP would be moved up by three weeks to compete with the World Superbike opening, and that the Aragon GP would remain in place, taking the spot of the beleagured Hungarian GP. Lastly, the schedule also confirms the news that the Spanish GP at Jerez would move to the front of the schedule, leaving the penultimate MotoGP stop for Sepang. Check the full calendar after the jump.

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Provisional 2011 MotoGP Calendar Leaked

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While the official Provisional 2011 MotoGP Calendar isn’t expected to go public until later this week, we’ve gotten an inside look at the relatively unchanged MotoGP schedule for next season. Our right and honorable friends at MotoMatters were on the ball this morning when travel agents for MotoGP trips got the provisional calendar in their hands, with some already publishing it to the web (travel agents typically get the calendar before the paddock does, since their industry depends on knowing the schedule as early as possible).

There aren’t too many surprises in the 2011 calendar, but the most noteworthy change is the Qatar GP being moved up three weeks to March 20th, to better compete with the start of World Superbike Championship series. The Portuguese GP at Estoril also moves toward the front of the calendar, which seems to happen every other year now. Lastly, Motegi is on the docket, barring any unforeseen volcanic eruptions. We have yet to see when the TwitGP is scheduled for in 20011. Check the full provisional 2011 MotoGP Calendar after the jump.

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Gear-up for the Isle of Man with John McGuinness

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As the Isle of Man TT gets ready to start racing this weekend, John McGuinness remains as the only rider to crack into the 130mph lap average speed (edit: Hutchinson broke 130mph on Thursday). The British rider reportedly hasn’t even been going full charge up the Mountain Course during the practice session, which should make for this year. Take a look at what a lap around the Isle of Man with McGuinness is like in the video above, and check the race schedule after the jump.

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