More sad news has landed upon the world of MotoGP as FIM, IRTA, and Dorna Sports confirmed that two more rounds in the 2020 calendar have been officially cancelled. The iconic British and Australian Grand Prix took this route in the wakes of the COVID-19 pandemic that has been wreaking havoc around the world.
British fans who were expecting to see some MotoGP action at the end of August at the Silverstone Circuit now have to wait for another year to watch their favourite GP riders duke it out on their turf. It’s indeed sad news as this is the second time that they had to cancel the round in the past three years, previously due to bad weather.
As for Australia, Phillip Island is without a doubt one of the most exciting rounds in the calendar due to layout of the circuit, extreme weather conditions, entertaining additions of wildlife and of course, wheel-to-wheel racing. Some of the greatest modern-day MotoGP battles were witnessed at the Australian GP, but we won’t get any of that in 2020 thanks to COVID-19.
According to Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports, “We’re saddened to have to announce the cancellation of these iconic events after finding no way through the logistical and operational issues resulting from the pandemic and rearranged calendar. Silverstone and Phillip Island are always two of the most thrilling race weekends of the season, with both tracks never failing in their promise to deliver some of the closest racing in our Championship.”
“On behalf of Dorna, I would like to once again extend my thanks to the fans for their understanding and patience as we wait for the situation to improve. We look forward to returning to Silverstone and Phillip Island next year for more incredible battles.”
Image credit: MotoGP
