Motorcycling-Malaysian MotoGP cancelled and replaced by second Misano race

FILE PHOTO: MotoGP - Malaysian Grand Prix - Sepang International Circuit, Sepang, Malaysia - November 3, 2019. Repsol Honda's Marc Marquez finishes in second place. REUTERS/Lai Seng Sin

(Reuters) - MotoGP announced on Thursday the cancellation of the Malaysian Grand Prix for the second year in a row, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and its replacement by another race at Italy's Misano circuit on Oct. 24.

Misano's Marco Simoncelli circuit, a home track for Italy's soon-to-retire MotoGP great Valentino Rossi, is already scheduled to host the San Marino and Rimini Riviera Grand Prix on Sept. 19.

"The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting entry restrictions for Malaysia oblige the cancellation of the event," said MotoGP in a statement.

The name of the second race at Misano has yet to be announced.

The circuit also hosted two rounds last year, with the second designated the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

The Japanese, Australian and Thai rounds of the championship have already been cancelled due to the pandemic as well as the Finnish Grand Prix which had been scheduled for last month.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Toby Davis)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions -
https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html