Portimao won’t replace under threat Japanese MotoGP race

Portimao will not join the 2011 MotoGP calendar as replacement for the under threat Japanese round scheduled to take place in early October.

The Twin Ring Motegi race, which was postponed for April 24 after Japan was hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami in March, is still not 100 per cent certain to go ahead having been rescheduled for October 2.

A decision on whether the Japanese race will be staged to keep this year’s world championship battle over 18 rounds will be delayed until late June at the earliest after the Twin Ring Motegi hosts a round of the domestic superbike series.

If Motegi is cancelled then there will be no replacement, despite rumours last weekend in at the Estoril race in Portugal of a switch to Portimao, which has hosted a World Superbike race since 2008.

October 2 though is only two weeks before the Portimao WSB race and a spokesman said: “If Japan is cancelled then there will be no replacement, but Motegi is proceeding like the race will happen. Given the current state of the Portuguese economy, it is highly unlikely that a second race will be staged in Portugal in 2011.”

Dorna rubbished rumours recently that the Istanbul Park track in Turkey could replace Japan.