2020 MotoGP: Opening race at Qatar cancelled

Due to travel restrictions imposed by the state of Qatar on passengers arriving from Italy, the 2020 MotoGP season opening race at Losail circuit, Qatar, has been cancelled. Passengers arriving in Doha airport from Italy as well as certain other countries, either on direct flights or having been in Italy in the past 14 days, will be taken directly to a two week quarantine.

However, the Moto2 and Moto3 classes with having recently completed the 3-day Official Test at Losail the previous week and having all equipment and personnel on site, will continue as scheduled. This also includes the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup, scheduled to run two races during the Qatar Grand Prix.

For MotoGP, with the majority of teams coming from Japan and Italy, this has a direct impact on the running of the race. The Grand Prix of Qatar is scheduled to be held this weekend, March 6 to 8.

Race organisers Dorna and the FIM will be announcing a revised race schedule for MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 in due course. As at March 1, 87,137 cases of COVID-19 and 2,977 deaths worldwide have been reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO), with 1,739 new cases in the last 24 hours.

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