MotoGP releases provisional 2018 calendar

The inaugural Thailand MotoGP is set to be held on October 5-7.

The date is listed on the provisional 2018 MotoGP calendar, which confirms the Buriram round as the only new addition to the present 18-race line-up.

As rumoured, Thailand will precede the usual Japan-Australia-Malaysia run, with a weekend off separating the new event from the established triple header.

The British MotoGP is set for its usual late-August date, but with the venue still to be decided following the Circuit of Wales fallout. The choice is understood to be continue with Silverstone under a new deal or switch to Donington Park.

The 2018 season is pencilled-in to start in Qatar on March 18th (one week earlier than this year) and finish at Valencia on November 18th (one week later).

However, the summer break has been slashed from four weekends off to just two.

Finland is due to join the MotoGP calendar in 2019...

Provisional 2018 MotoGP calendar:
Round 1: 18 March Qatar* Doha/Losail
Round 2: 8 April Argentina Termas de Rio Hondo
Round 3: 22 April Americas COTA
Round 4: 6 May Spain Jerez de la Frontera
Round 5: 20 May France Le Mans
Round 6: 3 June Italy Mugello
Round 7: 17 June Catalunya Catalunya
Round 8: 01 July Netherlands TT Assen
Round 9: 15 July Germany Sachsenring
Round 10: 5 August Czech Republic Brno
Round 11: 12 August Austria Red Bull Ring
Round 12: 26 August Great Britain TBA
Round 13: 9 September San Marino & Riviera di Rimini Misano
Round 14: 23 September Aragon MotorLand Aragon
Round 15: 7 October Thailand Buriram
Round 16: 21 October Japan Motegi
Round 17: 28 October Australia Phillip Island
Round 18: 4 November Malaysia Sepang
Round 19: 18 November Valencia Ricardo Tormo-Valencia
* Evening Race