Organizers of the MotoGP world championship have canceled the final race of the season, originally scheduled for November 15-17, to avoid resources being “diverted from rescue efforts”.
The organizers of the MotoGP world championship have canceled the Valencia Grand Prix, the last race of the season initially scheduled for November 15 to 17, to avoid resources being “diverted from rescue efforts” following the deadly floods which hit southern Spain.
A new circuit will be announced soon to host the final race of the season on a date which will also be specified later, said MotoGP, whose promoter is the Spanish Dorna.
Motorcycling is not the only sport to change its calendar after the floods which affected the Valencia region, in the south-east of Spain, leaving at least 205 dead and dozens missing according to the latest report.
La Liga match between Valencia and Real Madrid also postponed
The championship match scheduled for Saturday between Valencia and Real Madrid was postponed, as well as the meeting between Villarreal, north of Valencia, and Rayo Vallecano and all football matches that were planned in the region affected by the disaster.
The MotoGP championship is currently hotly contested between the Spaniard Jorge Martin and the Italian Francesco Bagnaia and the title could have to wait until the last round to be awarded.
“MotoGP stands with the Valencia community following the devastating floods that affected the region. Our thoughts are with all the victims and those who have lost everything.indicates the MotoGP press release.
“Having carefully weighed the impact of a MotoGP race in Valencia taking place on another date and the need to ensure that no resources are diverted from rescue efforts due to the presence of MotoGP, the Championship organizers and local authorities were forced to cancel the 2024 Valencia Grand Prix.we continue from the same source. “A new venue and new dates will be announced as soon as confirmed”adds MotoGP.
“It makes no sense to start repairing this damage when there are many people without shelter”
Driver Marc Marquez
The 19th and penultimate round of the championship takes place this weekend at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. Jorge Martin (Ducati-Pramac) has 453 points and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 436. The Spaniard, native of Madrid, can be titled in this race and, if this is not the case, he will have to wait until the 20th and last Grand Prix of the season.
The two rivals had expressed their discomfort at the idea of then going to Valencia on Thursday. “Out of respect for the people there, and in terms of logistics, I think the best solution would be to go elsewhere”Martin declared. “Competing in a Grand Prix there must be a celebration. Given the current situation, this is not correct”had echoed his Italian rival Bagnaia.
Another Spanish driver, the six-time world champion Marc Marquez, affirmed that priority should be given to relief rather than the reconstruction of the installations of the Ricardo-Tormo circuit, around twenty kilometers from Valencia, damaged by the floods. “It makes no sense to start repairing this damage when there are many people without homes”he told journalists.
The surge of water damaged “a good part” access infrastructure and parking, according to the circuit managers. If the track itself was not affected, work should have been carried out “emergency” to accommodate the tens of thousands of expected spectators, they estimated.
The Valencia GP was the 4th round of the MotoGP world championship to take place in Spain after the Spanish Grand Prix at the Jerez circuit in April, the Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona in May and the Aragon Grand Prix at Motorland Aragon in the south -east of Zaragoza at the beginning of September.
