Dorna Sports’ Carlos Ezpeleta insists there is every intention to return to India in the near future despite its omission from the 2025 MotoGP calendar.
The commercial rights’ holders formally revealed a record 22-round schedule for next season ahead of this weekend’s Indonesian Grand Prix, with highlights including a return to Brno, an all-new event in Hungary and a fresh opening round host in Thailand.
Absent from the final published programme, however, is India after the decision was taken to defer the event held at the Buddh International Circuit to 2026.
It comes after this year’s Indian Grand Prix – which only held its inaugural MotoGP event in 2023 – was shelved due to ‘operational considerations’.
Though Dorna had resolved to keep India on the schedule for 2025, Dorna Sports chief sporting officer Ezpeleta says a concern over finding a promoter and upgrading the venue within good time forced it to postpone its return to 2026 instead.
“India is a hugely important market for MotoGP and for the motorcycle industry. We have an agreement with the region of Uttar Pradesh, but unfortunately with the deadlines to publish the calendar it wasn’t possible for us to meet all of those deadlines in terms of selecting a promoter and getting the upgrades to the circuit done,” Ezpeleta said.
Dorna CSO Carlos Ezpeleta
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“So we agreed it was the best way forward to have a year and a half to prepare for the event. We continue to think there is tremendous potential but we have agreed the best way forward is to postpone it.”
The publication of the 2025 MotoGP calendar marks the third successive year Dorna has revealed plans to traverse a 22-round global schedule.
While a handful of event cancellations – including three in 2024 alone – have thus far thwarted attempts to hit this record target, Ezpeleta remains confident there will be no schedule shake-ups next year despite some events being listed as subject to confirmation.
Among them is Brno, which is set to hold its first MotoGP event since 2020 provided it completes necessary resurfacing and circuit upgrades before its July date.
“It hasn’t been resurfaced yet, it is part of our conditions to return,” Ezpeleta confirmed. “There are other things they have to improve but they have all been agreed, so we are all looking forward to it.
“It’s a traditional event for MotoGP, one that has attracted so many…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Autosport.com – MotoGP – Stories…