As you may have noticed from the MotoGP calendar updated yesterday, the 14ᵉ stage of the season is changing its itinerary. The Kazakshtan GP has been replaced by...
Sokol : 2023, 2024... the saga continues
It's been in the air for a while now, but it won't be this year that we'll be discovering the Sokol circuit for the Kazakhstan MotoGP Grand Prix. The event had already been scheduled for June 14-16, but "operational and logistical problems resulting from previous flooding in the region have made it impossible to hold the event in 2024", explain the FIM and Dorma in a press release.
Reprogrammed in September in place of the Indian Grand Prix, it was eventually removed from the calendar.
The easy choice
A second Qatar GP had been on the cards (the Middle Eastern Emirate kicked off the season), but it's not to be. The Grand Prix of Kazakhstan will be replaced by the Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna from September 20 to 22. The Misano circuit will therefore host its second Grand Prix of the year, just two weeks apart.
While this choice is logical from a certain point of view, it also raises questions. It's not the fact that the San Marino tournament takes place two weeks earlier at the same venue. No, the fallback solution was there and would not have bothered if the rest of the MotoGP schedule didn't take all the MotoGP players to Indonesia in the same breath.
A comment on Twitter
It doesn't make sense that you stay in the same city with a week's break, but then have to go to the other side of the world in 3-4 days.
Misano, a happy news !
Despite this remark, the majority of fans are delighted to enjoy a new European round, where the fervour is really felt. A change to keep the total at 20 GPs as if nothing had happened, or almost nothing. Originally, 22 events were hoped for, and it has to be said that the MotoGP organization has not been spared this season.
After Argentina and India, this cancellation proves that "third time's a charm"... Kazakhstan's only GP has now been replaced. It remains to be seen whether this will have an impact on future relations between the local organization and MotoGP management.
The Marco Simoncelli Circuit will be a key venue for the
upcoming MotoGP season.
MotoGP 2024 race calendar
With these moves highlighted, here's the current (and definitive?) calendar that awaits the category's drivers... as well as enthusiasts, including Lewis Hamilton and his astute look at Gresini.
1 Qatar Grand Prix (Losail circuit), March 10. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati).
2 Portuguese Grand Prix (Circuit Internacional do Algarve), March 24. Winner: Jorge Martín (Ducati). Argentine Grand Prix (Termas de Río Hondo), April 7.3 Grand Prix of the Americas (Circuit des Amériques), April 14. Winner: Maverick Viñales (Aprilia)
4 Spanish Grand Prix (Circuit de Jerez), April 28. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
5 French Grand Prix (Le Mans Bugatti circuit), May 12. Winner: Jorge Martin (Ducati)
6 Catalan Grand Prix (Barcelona-Catalunya circuit), May 26. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
7 Italian Grand Prix (Mugello circuit), June 2. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) Kazakhstan Grand Prix (Sokol International Racetrack), June 16. REPORT 8 Dutch Grand Prix (TT circuit Assen), June 30. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
9 German Grand Prix (Sachsenring circuit), July 7. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
10 British Grand Prix (Silverstone circuit), August 4.
11 Austrian Grand Prix (Spielberg circuit), August 18.
12 Aragon Grand Prix (Motorland Aragon circuit), September 1.
13 San Marino Grand Prix (Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli), September 8. Indian Grand Prix (Buddh International Circuit), September 22. CANCELLATIONKazakhstan Grand Prix (Sokol International Racetrack), September 22. CANCELLATION14 Grand Prix d'Emilie-Romagne (Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli), September 22
15 Indonesian Grand Prix (Mandalika International Street circuit), September 29.
16 Japanese Grand Prix (Twin Ring Motegi circuit), October 6.
17 Australian Grand Prix (Phillip Island Circuit), October 20.
18 Thai Grand Prix (Chang International circuit), October 27.
19 Malaysian Grand Prix (Sepang International circuit), November 3.
20 Valencia Grand Prix (Ricardo Tormo circuit), November 17.
