2023 MotoGP Calendar

2023 Kazakhstan Grand Prix has been cancelled

Updated: Thursday 27th April 2023 at 17:15. What was meant to be the longest ever MotoGP season in 2023 has been cut short, following the cancellation of the Kazakhstan Grand Prix. With time running out before the MotoGp circus was due to arrive at the Sokol Circuit on 9^th July, it was decided that homologation work required to finalise the circuit's status in time for the race could not be completed.

Therefore the 2023 MotoGP calendar reverts to a 20-race season, as the Kazakhstan Grand Prix will not replaced on this year's schedule. Plans remain in place, however, for the the race to run in 2024.

FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports released the following statement: "Ongoing homologation works at the circuit, paired with current global operational challenges, have obliged the cancellation of the 2023 event.

"MotoGP looks forward to visiting Sokol International Racetrack in 2024 to welcome a new region to the calendar.

"The event will not be replaced in 2023."

2023 MotoGP calendar

MotoGP reveals 42-race 2023 calendar

Updated: Friday 30^th September 2022 at 16:20. MotoGP has released its 2023 calendar, featuring 21 grands prix and 42 races in total.

The big news is the additions of an Indian and Kazakh Grands Prix. With both circuits still to be homologated for motorcycle races there’s a chance of changes, but should every race go ahead it would be the longest calendar in MotoGP history,

MotoGP had already announced that it will hold a sprint race at every single race weekend, which means the season will top 40 races with all taken into account.

The other major change to the season is that the number of races on the Iberian peninsula has been limited. Traditionally a heartland of Motorcycle racing, the gradual increase of races in South West Europe had led to Spain hosting events at Aragon, Jerez, Catalunya and Valencia with Portugal’s Portimao adding a fifth round in the region. These five races have all been signed to new contracts that allow for rotation, meaning there will only be four Iberian races a season.

The season will kick off on 26^th March in Portugal, before heading across the Atlantic to race in Argentina and the US in April, before it returns to Spain for the Spainish Grand Prix at Jerez.

A European season taking in France (Le Mans), Italy (Mugello), Germany (Sachsenring), the Netherlands (Assen), Britain (Silverstone), Austria (Red Bull Ring), Catalunya (Barcelona) and San Marino (Misano) stretches from May to September, punctuated by the first trip to Kazakhstan on 9th July.

The rest of the season will then traverse Asia through MotoGP’s debut in India at the Buddh International Circuit – the former home of the Indian F1 Grand Prix – the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, a return to Indonesia, the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, Thailand (Chang International Circuit), Malaysia (Sepang) and Qatar before the season finishes at its traditional end point of Valencia.

Also of note will be the 1,000^th Grand Prix motorcycle race, which will come at the fourth round at Jerez and the fact that for the first time there will be three triple headers.

MotoGP to race in Kazakhstan in 2023

Updated: Tuesday 27^th September 2022 at 13:45. MotoGP has announced that it will hold its first ever race in Kazakhstan in 2023, at the new Sokol International racetrack.

The circuit is located just outside the largest city in Kazakhstan, and its former capital, Almaty, and the 2023 race will be the first of a five-year contract.

Announcing the deal MotoGP’s statement said: “The FIM MotoGP World Championship is coming to Kazakhstan! 2023 marks the start of a new five-year deal that sees MotoGP touch down in a new region of the world as the stunning Sokol International Racetrack joins the calendar.

“The region will be a new pitstop for MotoGP as the sport continues to expand around the world, engaging with new markets and fanbases.

“Kazakhstan will also become the 30^th country to host a motorcycle grand prix since 1949, a perfect landmark number to celebrate the ever-expanding history of the world’s first motorsport World Championship, and Sokol International Racetrack will be the 74^th venue to host a premier class grand prix.”

Sprint Races to be held at every round in 2023

Updated: Saturday 17^th September. MotoGP will run half-distance sprint races at every round of the 2023 season, it has been announced.

Unlike F1’s introduction, the two-wheeled sprints will not affect the starting grid for the full Grand Prix the next day, and the sprint race will award half points.

Each sprint race will take place at 15:00 on the Saturday of the grand prix weekend, with the full race following on Sunday at 14:00. The grid for each sprint race will be set in the same qualifying session as the Grand Prix.

This is a big moment for the sport, as the first time a MotoGP season has opened in Europe since 2006. It also happens to be only the third time that a MotoGP season has opened in Europe over the last three decades.

Portimao will be hosting official pre-season tests in the weeks before the first race of the season too, though exact dates are yet to be revealed. For now, the countdown is on to the weekend of 24^th-26^th March 2023.

For now, only the season opener has a date, though we do have a rough order of what’s to follow, including the Silverstone-based British GP’s regular midsummer spot. Find the full evolving 2023 MotoGP calendar below. 

Images courtesy of MotoGP and Motorsport Images.