Another spectator event has just been taken down by the coronavirus (COVID-19). Yes, the biggest 2 wheel racing event for the year is about to start and the virus has forced its cancellation.
The organizers of the 2020 MotoGP™ has just issued a statement cancelling the 2020 season-opening race which will be in Qatar will not go ahead due to travel restrictions brought about by the coronavirus outbreak.
Due to confirmed cases of the corona virus spiking in Japan and Northern Italy in the last two weeks the situation has becomes more worrying as these are the two countries where most of the race team are based and race organizer, Dorna has implemented procedures to ensure travelling MotoGP personnel from those countries would be granted access to the country. There have already been 34 deaths from the COVID-19 in Italy and more than 1,100 people have already been tested positive for the virus.
However, the Moto2 and Moto3 Qatar GP races will still go ahead, due to both series teams and riders have arrived earlier in the country for their final pre-season tests. Qatar announced its first recorded coronavirus case over the weekend, and has now imposed a two-week blanket quarantine on any passengers who have recently visited Italy.
PRESS RELEASE: MotoGP™ Class cancelled at the Grand Prix of Qatar. Due to Qatar travel restrictions brought into force affecting passengers from Italy, the premier class will not race at Losail. The Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme, IRTA and Dorna regret to announce the cancellation of all MotoGP™ class sessions at the Grand Prix of Qatar, including the race.
The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has resulted in Qatar travel restrictions being brought into force that affect passengers from Italy, amongst other countries. As of today, all passengers arriving at Doha on direct flights from Italy, or having been in Italy in the past 2 weeks, will be taken straight to quarantine for a minimum of 14 days. Italy clearly plays a vital role in the Championship and in the MotoGP class – both on track and off – and therefore the decision has been taken to cancel premier class competition.
As the teams and riders of the Moto2™ and Moto3™ classes were already in Qatar for the three-day official test at Losail International Circuit earlier this week, the races of both categories will be possible. The lightweight and intermediate classes will therefore compete in their season opener from the 6th to 8th March. The same will apply to the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup, which will have two races during the Qatar Grand Prix as originally planned. Stay tuned for a revised schedule.
