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The inaugural 2024 Kazakhstan Grand Prix has as soon as once more been placed on maintain indefinitely by MotoGP owing to extreme flooding within the central Asian nation.
MotoGP organiser Dorna and governing physique the FIM introduced in a short joint assertion that they now hope to as a substitute reschedule the race on the Sokol circuit, which was as a result of happen on June 16, to later within the season – though this will show to be an unimaginable process.
“Unprecedented climate situations have led to flooding throughout Central Asia, inflicting a nationwide emergency in Kazakhstan and displacing a lot of the inhabitants,” the assertion learn.
“It might not be accountable for MotoGP so as to add any further burden on the authorities or companies as they work to assist the tens of hundreds of individuals affected throughout the nation.
“Sokol Worldwide Racetrack will due to this fact not host MotoGP on the dates beforehand introduced, and any additional updates will probably be printed as soon as confirmed.”
The flooding, which broke out two weeks in the past in northern Kazakhstan, some 1200 miles from the circuit, initially displaced nearly 120,000 folks however has fortunately receded in latest days.
Kazakhstan was initially set to affix the calendar in 2023 however its debut on the Hermann Tilke-designed Sokol circuit, on the outskirts of the nation’s largest metropolis Almaty, was delayed by one yr because of vital development works on the observe not being accomplished on time.
However there was a substantial push since then to get the circuit up to the mark, with The Race’s paddock sources indicating final month that all the pieces was wanting extra constructive for 2024.
That has included the signing on of a brand new staff to assist promote and handle the occasion, with former Sepang Worldwide Circuit CEO and Petronas Yamaha staff principal Razlan Razali concerned.
Nevertheless, regardless of a dedication to reschedule the race to later within the yr, that appears all however unimaginable given how crowded the MotoGP schedule is within the latter half of 2024.
Solely actually viable till early October given Almaty’s local weather, there are restricted home windows within the calendar that might enable the race to slot in, particularly given the possible first-time complications related to logistics and customs that might additionally must be factored in.
And whereas the 2024 calendar was initially introduced with a reserve circuit in Hungary, it appears that evidently too is all however unimaginable on condition that the Balaton Park Circuit is itself set to get replaced on the World Superbike calendar for this yr, with Portugal’s historic Estoril believed to be set to take over its slot.