MotoGP cancels Sachsenring, Assen and KymiRing

MotoGP has announced its first complete cancellations due to the coronavirus with the Dutch, German and Finnish rounds being removed from the 2020 calendar.

After Qatar was cancelled for the MotoGP class (but went ahead for Moto2 and Moto3) the following Thai, US and Argentina rounds were postponed until the end of the season.

With no improvement in the situation, the Spanish, French and Italian races were also postponed, but with no new date.

That left Sachsenring on June 21 as the proposed opening round followed by Assen a week later and the debut of the KymiRing on July 12.

But all three were also forced to seek a postponement after their respective governments extended a ban on sporting events/large gatherings.

There was a slim hope that at least one of the trio might be saved as a 'closed-doors' round later in the year, but Dorna has today confirmed that all three have been cancelled.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the cancellation of these three important Grands Prix on the MotoGP calendar," said Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta.

"The German GP is raced on a truly unique track with an incredible history, and the KymiRing is an exciting new venue set to welcome Grand Prix motorcycle racing back to Finland for the first time since 1982.

"And the iconic TT Circuit Assen had the unique honour of being the only venue to have held a round of the motorcycle racing Grand Prix World Championship every year, uninterrupted, since the Championship began in 1949.

“On behalf of Dorna I would like to thank all the fans for their understanding and patience as we wait for the situation to improve. We very much look forward to returning to the Sachsenring and the TT Circuit Assen in 2021, and eagerly await the Grand Prix debut of the new KymiRing next season.”

The next event to inherit the opening MotoGP round status is now Brno in the Czech Republic on August 9, although it's theoretically possible that one of the postponed events could be slotted in before, should travel restrictions ease in time.

However, more event cancellations are expected, with a best-case scenario of around ten races forecast for this season…