MotoGP organisers Dorna have announced on Thursday that the 2021 Malaysian Grand Prix will be cancelled as a result of ongoing Covid-19 restrictions in the country.
Recent rumours have pointed to both the Malaysian and already-delayed Americas grand prix’s being canned as Covid-19 restrictions continue to affect sporting events around the world, the Malaysian event now confirmed as being delayed until next year due to no fans being allowed at the track.
As a result a second round at the Misano World Circuit will now go ahead on the same weekend the Malaysian GP was due to take place across the 22nd-24th of October, just over a month after the venue’s first event-the San Marino GP- will happen on the 17th-19th of September.
The currently-still-on Americas GP will slot in between the two Misano contests, with two weeks either side of the Circuit of the America’s encounter, with the round at the Sepang International Circuit set to return at the end of next year.
“The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports regret to announce the cancellation of the Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix, which was set to take place at Sepang International Circuit from the 22nd to the 24th of October,” began the joint statement released by Dorna, IRTA and the FIM on Thursday afternoon.
“The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting entry restrictions for Malaysia oblige the cancellation of the event.
“The FIM MotoGP™ World Championship looks forward to returning to Sepang in 2022 to race in front of our dedicated Malaysian fans.”
The news of the Malaysian GP cancellation currently means that only three rounds of the 2021 MotoGP world championship are due to take place outside of Europe, with Qatar having hosted a pair of races to start the campaign.
The American round in Texas could also be under threat due to rising Covid cases in the country, with a severe lack of ICU facilities-only 16 covering a population of around 2.6 million as of Monday- in the state the chief problem.
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