MotoGP issues 19-round 2019 calendar

MotoGP has issued a 19-round provisional calendar for the 2019 season, featuring no changes of venue compared to this year's schedule.

Efforts by series promoter Dorna to add a 20th race to the calendar in Mexico were abandoned, largely due to safety fears surrounding the suitability of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez facility in Mexico City for bike racing.

Finland's under-construction KymiRing track, which had been due to host its first MotoGP round in 2019, will also not be completed in time to join the calendar for next year.

The 2019 season will once again commence in Qatar, a week earlier than last year, on March 10, and will conclude at Valencia on November 17.

After riders criticised the short length of this year's summer break, a four-week gap between races has been restored by making the Assen and Sachsenring rounds back-to-back, with the latter taking place a week earlier than in 2018.

Misano and Aragon have also been made back-to-back races, so that Misano does not fall on the same weekend as the F1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Draft 2019 MotoGP calendar:

Date	Venue
March 10	Qatar
March 31	Termas de Rio Hondo
April 14	Austin
May 5	Jerez
May 19	Le Mans
June 2	Mugello
June 16	Barcelona
June 30	Assen
July 7	Sachsenring
August 4	Brno
August 11	Red Bull Ring
August 25	Silverstone
September 15	Misano
September 22	Aragon
October 6	Buriram
October 20	Motegi
October 27	Phillip Island
November 3	Sepang
November 17	Valencia