Featured image credit: Circuit Ricardo Tormo
MotoGP is seeking a new host for its season finale after announcing that the 2024 Valencia Grand Prix has been cancelled due to the impact of the flooding that has devastated the Spanish region.
Dorna Sports, MotoGP’s commercial rights-holder, made the announcement today (Friday) as it prepares for this weekend’s penultimate round of the season, the Grand Prix of Malaysia. The Valencia GP had been scheduled for November 15-17, and Dorna has made its move with the death toll in the local region having passed 200 earlier today.
Circuit Ricardo Tormo, host of the race, said on Wednesday that it had begun work to assess the damage caused. It added that while an initial inspection showed the track to still be in optimal condition, a large part of the access and parking infrastructure has been seriously damaged and needed urgent repair in view of the planned MotoGP race.
MotoGP said in a statement: “We have been in constant contact with the local authorities and the circuit to best assess how we can help and how we should proceed. We have a responsibility to every region where we race that goes far beyond the sport and the events.
“After carefully weighing up the potential positive impact of MotoGP racing in Valencia on delayed dates versus ensuring no single resource is diverted from the recovery efforts by the presence of MotoGP, the championship and local authorities have been obliged to cancel the 2024 Valencia GP.
“In lieu of racing in Valencia, MotoGP will instead race for Valencia. The championship will put our collective efforts behind backing the relief funds already in place to ensure our positive impact can connect with the area in the way it best serves the people and communities we have been part of for so long.
“Our efforts will begin during the Malaysian GP and continue at the final round of 2024, with a new venue and dates to be announced as soon as confirmed.”
Motorsport.com said as late as yesterday, Dorna and the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) had been hoping to keep the race in Valencia, albeit with postponed dates. However, by today there is said to have been a considerable change in viewpoint among Dorna executives.
Four potential replacements – Qatar, Portimao, Jerez and Barcelona – are said to be in line as the new season finale. All four have already hosted races this season, on March 8-10, March 22-24, April 26-28 and May 24-26, respectively.
LaLiga, the organising body of the top two divisions of Spanish football, announced yesterday that round 12 and 13 matches that were due to be played in the Valencia region have been postponed.
These concern games between Villarreal CF-Rayo Vallecano, Valencia CF-Real Madrid, CD Castellón-RC Ferrol, CD Eldense-SD Huesca and Levante UD-Málaga CF.
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