The inaugural Kazakhstan Grand Prix has been postponed from its June slot due to the ongoing flooding emergency in Central Asia.
Scheduled for 14-16 June, no new date has been given for the event but Dorna Sports hopes to still stage it this year.
MotoGP was originally set to race in Kazakhstan at the new Sokol International Racetrack, near the country’s largest city of Almaty, last year as part of an expanding calendar.
However, due to the circuit not being ready at the time for its 9 July slot, the event was axed and not replaced in 2023.
It was pencilled onto the 2024 calendar for the weekend of 14-16 June.
However, on Friday 3 May, MotoGP announced that the Kazakhstan GP has had to be postponed due to the flooding emergency that has impacted the region in recent weeks.
In what has been described as the worst flooding in the region in 80 years, the Ural river – as a result of rapidly melting snow and ice due to high temperatures, as well as heavy rain – burst its banks in April.
As of 1 May, however, over 40,000 displaced people have returned to their homes and clear-up efforts are ongoing – according to local media reports.
A statement from the FIM read: “Unprecedented weather conditions have led to flooding across Central Asia, causing a national emergency in Kazakhstan and displacing much of the population.
“It would not be responsible for MotoGP to add any additional burden on the authorities or services as they work to help the tens of thousands of people affected across the country.
“Sokol International Racetrack will therefore not host MotoGP on the dates previously announced, and any further updates will be published once confirmed.
“As our utmost priority, MotoGP sends our condolences and support to the people of Kazakhstan and all those affected by the flooding in Central Asia. We hope the nation, region and communities affected can recover as soon as possible.”
