MotoGP News announcement
Turkey replaces Rio on 2005 calendar
News, 18/02/05
It has been announced today that the MotoGP World Championship will visit Turkey for the first time in 2005 after the cancellation of the Rio Grand Prix. The decision was confirmed by a statement from the FIM, highlighting the reasons for the switch.
“Following the lack of a signed contract, the Rio Grand Prix is cancelled,” read the statement. “The Portuguese Grand Prix will be moved to April 17. The Turkish Grand Prix will take place on the new circuit of Istanbul on October 23.”
The Istanbul track has been designed by famed German architect Herman Tilke, also responsible for Sepang, Bahrain and Shanghai and will also host Formula 1 for the first time in 2005. Featuring fourteen turns (eight lefts and six rights), the track runs anti-clockwise and is built on four different ground levels, providing several changes in gradient.
Planned seating capacity is 155,000, with 25,000 of those in the main grandstand, and parking will be available for 20,000 cars.
The revised calendar for the 2005 MotoGP World Championship is as follows:
10-4 Spain Jerez
17-4 Portugal Estoril
1-5 China Shanghai
15-5 France Le Mans
5-6 Italy Mugello
12-6 Catalunya Catalunya
25-6 Netherlands ** Assen
10-7 United States * Laguna Seca
24-7 Great Britain Donington Park
31-7 Germany Sachsenring
28-8 Czech Republic Brno
18-9 Japan Motegi
25-9 Malaysia Sepang
1-10 Qatar ** Doha
16-10 Australia Phillip Island
23-10 Turkey *** Istambul
6-11 Valencia Valencia
*: Only MotoGP class
**: Saturday
***: Subject to contract
Turkey replaces Rio on 2005 calendar
News, 18/02/05
It has been announced today that the MotoGP World Championship will visit Turkey for the first time in 2005 after the cancellation of the Rio Grand Prix. The decision was confirmed by a statement from the FIM, highlighting the reasons for the switch.
“Following the lack of a signed contract, the Rio Grand Prix is cancelled,” read the statement. “The Portuguese Grand Prix will be moved to April 17. The Turkish Grand Prix will take place on the new circuit of Istanbul on October 23.”
The Istanbul track has been designed by famed German architect Herman Tilke, also responsible for Sepang, Bahrain and Shanghai and will also host Formula 1 for the first time in 2005. Featuring fourteen turns (eight lefts and six rights), the track runs anti-clockwise and is built on four different ground levels, providing several changes in gradient.
Planned seating capacity is 155,000, with 25,000 of those in the main grandstand, and parking will be available for 20,000 cars.
The revised calendar for the 2005 MotoGP World Championship is as follows:
10-4 Spain Jerez
17-4 Portugal Estoril
1-5 China Shanghai
15-5 France Le Mans
5-6 Italy Mugello
12-6 Catalunya Catalunya
25-6 Netherlands ** Assen
10-7 United States * Laguna Seca
24-7 Great Britain Donington Park
31-7 Germany Sachsenring
28-8 Czech Republic Brno
18-9 Japan Motegi
25-9 Malaysia Sepang
1-10 Qatar ** Doha
16-10 Australia Phillip Island
23-10 Turkey *** Istambul
6-11 Valencia Valencia
*: Only MotoGP class
**: Saturday
***: Subject to contract
