MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks

Testing may have finished for the MotoGP class, but the news rolls on. A few interesting items have popped up over the past few days, which are worth examining.

Honda turns to Kalex again

As predicted earlier this month, the MotoGP calendar is to expand even further for 2023. Next year, there are to be 21 races in total, with two new circuits being added to the calendar.

The news that Sokol in Kazakhstan is being added had been expected, given the announcement on Tuesday. The surprise is that India is to have a MotoGP round next year, with the expectation in the paddock that it would not happen until 2024. But MotoGP is to race at the Buddh International circuit at the end of September in 2023. There had been concerns over customs and tax issues importing equipment and bikes into India, but paddock sources indicate these issues have been settled.

The Indian round of World Superbikes has been officially canceled. Today, the FIM officially announced that the event, scheduled to be held at the Buddh International Circuit on 17th of November, has been called off due to 'operating challenges'. The FIM press release holds open the possibiity that the race could be on the calendar again at a later date, though the press release speaks of 2015, rather than next year.

The Indian round of World Superbikes looks increasingly likely to be canceled. Rising costs and logistical problems mean that it is becoming increasingly difficult for the Indian World Superbike round, scheduled for the 17th November this year at the Buddh International Circuit to go ahead. 

There have been rumblings about the WSBK round for months now, but at Silverstone, the issue became ever more pressing. A report appeared on German-language website Speedweek, and several paddock sources confirmed to MotoMatters.com the problems the Indian race posed, and that their preference was for the entire event to be canceled.

After already having staged the first race, the World Superbike calendar has finally been updated and lost its provisional status. Today, the FIM issued an official, finalized version of the 2013 World Superbike calendar, confirming the changes we reported on yesterday.

The Silverstone race has been confirmed, and the Subject To Contract status has been removed from the Portimao and Imola rounds. The round originally scheduled for June 23rd has been scrapped, and a new round scheduled for Istanbul Park on September 15th. The replacement of Istanbul Park for the 23rd June round, for which Brno had originally been penciled in, means that the Superstock calendar is reduced by one round, from 10 races to just 9, while the World Superbike calendar now has 15 rounds planned, including two races in the UK, at Donington and Silverstone, and a trip across the Atlantic to Laguna Seca.

The FIM today issued a press release confirming the news that the Indian round of World Superbikes has been moved to November 17th, as we reported earlier today. Below is the official press release:

FIM Superbike, Supersport World Championships & FIM Superstock 1000cc Cup

2013 Provisional calendar, updated 15 January (Change in bold)

The World Superbike race in India has been moved from the 10 March to the 17 November due to an insufficient period of time to properly finalise the training of the marshals and medical staff around the racetrack. FIM representatives will be at the Indian track on 19, 20 and 21 this January, in order to carry out the final racetrack homologation and provide the relevant seminars about the different aspects involved in the sporting organisation of the event.

The confusion surrounding the Indian round of World Superbikes looks close to being resolved. According to reports on the ever well-informed GPOne.com, the race at the Buddh International Circuit is to be rescheduled from 10th of March to the 17th of November, moving it from being the second race of the season to being the season finale.