Dorna Sports, the championship promoter, has confirmed the cancellation of the Valencia Grand Prix, scheduled for November 17. The region has been affected for several days by serious flooding, which has already killed 205 people. The organizers are looking for a new circuit capable of hosting the last GP of the season, which should be decisive for the world championship.
While the paddock is in Sepang, Malaysia, for the penultimate GP of the season, Dorna Sports has announced the cancellation of the last stage, scheduled for Valencia. The promoter of the world championship was forced to make this decision. This final Grand Prix, set for November 17, will not be able to take place in this region of eastern Spain. The violent floods left 205 dead, according to a still provisional report drawn up at midday on Friday.
As soon as they arrived in Malaysia, the drivers took a stand against maintaining the GP in Valencia. “If we don't do it in Valencia, it's worse, the economy will suffer,” said Jorge Viegas, president of the International Motorcycling Federation.
Already four tracks to replace Valencia
“Having carefully assessed the potential positive impact of a MotoGP race in Valencia on delayed dates against ensuring that no resources are diverted from repair efforts by the presence of MotoGP, the Championship and local authorities have come to the decision to cancel the 2024 Valencia GP” indicates the championship website in a press release.
The organization specifies that there will be one last GP but it must find a fallback solution. Given the time required to organize this last round, it should not take place as planned on November 17. Qatar and Portimao (Portugal) appear to be credible alternatives, as do the Spanish circuits of Jerez and Barcelona. This last step is likely to be decisive. Before the Malaysian GP, Spaniard Jorge Martin is only 17 points ahead of Italian Francesco Bagnaia.
