The provisional 2005 MotoGP world championship calendar has been released by the FIM – and shows several significant changes are planned for next season.
Against recent tradition, the increased 17 race line-up is scheduled to begin in Europe - with the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez - on April 10, and will be followed by a round at either Rio or South Africa.
Round three will be one of two new events; a Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai, while the other, the US GP at Laguna Seca (announced on Thursday), is confirmed as being on July 10 and for the MotoGP class only. It is almost certain to replace the WSBK round at the Californian circuit and could well be supported by the AMA Superbike championship.
The second half of the season is broadly similar, with the exception that the Portuguese Grand Prix has been moved from early September to late October – making it the penultimate event before the Valencia season finale.
Of note is that Japan will again only have one grand prix, at Motegi, the Suzuka circuit having again been left off the calendar.
Provisional 2005 MotoGP calendar.
April 10 Spain Jerez de la Frontera
April 17 Rio or South Africa Jacarepagua or Welkom *
May 1 China Shanghai
May15 France Le Mans
May 29 Italy Mugello
June 5 Catalunya Catalunya
June 19 Great Britain Donington Park
June 25 Netherlands Assen ***
July 10 United States Laguna Seca **
July 24 Germany Sachsenring
August 28 Czech Rep. Brno
September 18 Japan Motegi
October 1 Qatar Qatar ***
October 9 Malaysia Sepang
October 16 Australia Phillip Island
October 30 Portugal Estoril
November 6 Valencia Ricardo Tormo - Valencia
Key:
*: to be confirmed
**: only MotoGP class
***: Saturday