As anticipated by Motorsport.com last Saturday, the policy of cuts imposed by Javier Milei, the new president of Argentina, has led to the elimination of a large number of ministerial programs. This also called into question the third Grand Prix of the 2024 MotoGP season, scheduled for the first weekend of April on the Termas de Rio Hondo track.
This Wednesday, FIM, IRTA and Dorna made its cancellation official, with consequent changes to the calendar. In this new version, the appointment in Argentina no longer appears, which will not be replaced due to the little room for maneuver on this date. Most of the teams had already purchased plane tickets, as the United States Grand Prix will take place the following week.
Now the question mark hangs over the race in Kazakhstan, scheduled for the weekend of 14-16 June, canceled last year due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. Although it remains on the calendar for the moment, it is likely that it will be suspended again and that the Hungarian Grand Prix, already present in the previous calendar as a replacement event, will be added in its place in the World Championship program, on a date to be defined.
If confirmed, this new race will take place at the Balaton Park circuit, bringing the championship to a total of 21 stages. Despite losing a stage from the original plan of 22 Grands Prix, the 2024 World Championship will still be the longest in the history of the World Championship, surpassing last year's by one race.
Before the inaugural race, which will take place on the weekend of March 10 in Qatar, the teams will fly to Malaysia, where the shakedown will take place this week. From Thursday to Saturday, in fact, the testers and owners who enjoy the concessions will test. Collective tests will take place from 6 to 8 February. After these first tests, we will go to Qatar, where the last two days of collective testing are scheduled for 19 and 20 February before the season begins.
Updated 2024 MotoGP calendar: dates, races and circuits
*Subject to contract
** Reserve event: Hungary – Balaton Park Circuit
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