2020 MotoGP calendar revealed, Finland return confirmed

The provisional 2020 MotoGP World Championship calendar has been revealed with Finland formally included for what will be its first premier motorcycle racing class event in 38 years.

Though the all-new KymiRing venue is still subject to FIM homologation – which it is expected to be granted once construction work around the circuit has been completed – Finland’s inclusion is one of two notable changes to the schedule, the other being a new slot for Thailand.

Set to herald the first premier class event held in Finland – and Scandinavia - since Imatra in 1982, the 2020 Finnish MotoGP it will take place on 12 July as the final event before the three-week summer break. 

KymiRing added despite negative feedback

Coming two weeks after the KymiRing welcomed MotoGP machinery for the first time with an official test attended by all six manufacturers and their test riders, though the venue was given a fairly muted reaction with Aprilia test rider Bradley Smith commenting:

“It was a different race-track to anything we’ve seen before. It worries me, certain aspects of the track … when you put a whole load of guys and try and race around there that’s my question mark. It’s not wide enough and a little bit too tight. If there was a mistake there are a few corners where you could easily run off one and join another track with certain chicanes. 

Ducati’s Michele Pirro was less positive, referring to it as ‘too slow and not spectacular enough’, while Sylvain Guintoli suggested it was a circuit we’d ‘grow to love’.

 

 

 

 

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Jump OnBoard with @mikakallioofficial for a lap of the KymiRing and don't miss any details of the brand new Finnish track! @redbull #MotoGP #Motorcycle #Motorsport #Racing

A post shared by MotoGP (@motogp) on Aug 19, 2019 at 5:18am PDT

Thailand to host R2, minor changes elsewhere

Elsewhere, the Thailand MotoGP event is shuffled up to the front-end of the schedule on March 22, two weeks after the opening round in Qatar, which gets underway in its traditional March slot on  March 8. It moves into the traditional spot Thailand held for WorldSBK, raising the question of whether the Chang International Circuit is set for a move or a removal altogether.

It’s move means there is now a three-week gap between the end of the summer European stint before the triple-header fly-aways. The season ends on November 17 at its customary Valencia finale. 

2020 MotoGP Calendar

Provisional