Austin Added to the 2021 MotoGP Championship Calendar

Austin is back on the MotoGP calendar. Today, the FIM announced that the Motegi round of MotoGP has been canceled, as travel to Japan is still very difficult, with the Circuit of the Americas being put in its place on October 3rd.

The changes have obviously been made in response to the pandemic, and as COVID-19 continues to be a problem around the world, more changes are likely.

Currently, MotoGP is set to go to Thailand two weeks after Austin, on October 17th, the first of a triple header at Buriram, then Phillip Island in Australia, and then the Sepang circuit in Malaysia.

However, travel restrictions are still in place for Phillip Island, and are unlikely to be lifted in time for the race to take place. And the current COVID-19 situation in Thailand is also cause for concern.

Sepang is also believed to be willing to host a race only if they can have at least 70% fan capacity at the track.

At the moment, the backup plan for Phillip Island not taking place is for there to be a double-header at Valencia to replace it. The season would end at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo with two races on consecutive weekends.

There has also been talk of two races on back-to-back weekends at the Circuit of the Americas, if Thailand has to be canceled. All that is still unconfirmed, however.

For the moment, MotoGP has a plan for the second half of the season. But like all plans during the pandemic, it is subject to change up to the last moment.

Here is the current calendar update as it stands:

* Evening Race
** Subject to Homologation

There will be a maximum of 20 events in the 2021 season. All dates, events and the attendance of spectators are subject to the evolution of the pandemic and the approval of the corresponding Governments and authorities.

Photo: MotoGP