MotoGP released a tentative 20-race calendar for 2021 late last year, although delays and postponements were expected as the COVID-19 situation worsened worldwide over the winter.
Earlier this month, MotoGP announced it would have to cancel the Sepang preseason test scheduled for February after a state of emergency was declared in Malaysia due to the virus.
Last week there was a meeting between teams and MotoGP to discuss date changes for the start of the season.
One such proposal was to bring the Qatar GP forward to March 21st to bring it closer to the end of pre-season testing and to avoid clashing with the same March 28th with the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Bahrain comes into conflict.
However, MotoGP has announced that the season will kick off as planned with the Qatar GP on March 28th, followed by the Doha GP at the same Losail International Circuit on April 4th.
The Portuguese GP will then follow on April 18th, before the currently planned run of races, which was originally scheduled for the start of the European season on May 2nd with the Spanish GP in Jerez, begins.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. and Argentine GPs have been postponed from their April slots to the final quarter of the year – but there are no new preliminary data at this time.
No further date changes have been announced at this point, although the August TBD slot vacated by the canceled Czech GP is no longer on the calendar and Russian Igora Drive is no longer listed as a reserve circle.
A MotoGP statement reads: “FIM, IRTA (Team Association) and Dorna Sports can now publish an updated calendar for the FIM MotoGP World Championship 2021, as another exciting racing season is on the horizon and testing is pending in little more than one Month to get started.
“The Grand Prix for the season opening in Qatar remains confirmed for March 26th to 28th. The following weekend, April 2nd to 4th, a second event, the Doha Grand Prix, will take place at the same Losail International Circuit.
“The Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal will then host the third round of the championship from April 16-18, before the paddock drives to the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto as planned.
“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting bans and complications are unfortunately forcing the Argentine GP and the American GP to be postponed to the last quarter of 2021.
“Any further updates or changes will be posted as they become available.”
Due to the cancellation of the Sepang test, MotoGP will hold two additional days in Losail on March 6th and 7th before the original final test takes place on the track on March 10th and 12th.
It is still unclear whether these races will be open to spectators and whether access will be granted to the media.