Jerez Likely Venue For 2020 MotoGP Season Opener In July

 MotoGP’s commercial rights holder Dorna Sports has zeroed in on the Circuito de Jerez racetrack in Spain as the likely venue for the start of the 2020 Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship season.

Sports events around the world have been put on hold due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. That includes the MotoGP season, which was to begin on 8 March in Qatar. So far, eleven of the originally scheduled 20 races have been either cancelled or postponed.

Situated close to the southern Spanish city of Jerez de la Frontera, the circuit would make logistic sense for the MotoGP paddock, which is predominantly based in Spain and Italy. Dorna Sports also operates out of Spain.

The mayor of Jerez spoke to Diario de Jerez, a local publication, to confirm that the city had been approached with this offer and that it was ‘a good offer that we cannot reject.’

MotoGP’s official cancellation of the Dutch TT, German and Finnish Grand Prix is part of Dorna Sport’s plan to hold 10 to 11 races in Europe until the start of November.

The races will be held behind closed doors with only essential MotoGP personnel at the venue. Last year, Jerez hosted the fourth round of the MotoGP season, when Marc Marquez took the honours in the premier class. Lorenzo Baldassari won in the Moto2 category and Niccolo Antonelli in the Moto3 class.