Kazakhstan Motorcycle Grand Prix postponed

The wait for the maiden Kazakhstan Motorcycle Grand Prix will continue with the MotoGP race postponed due to flooding.

The race was scheduled to be round 8 of the 2024 MotoGP World Championship held on June 16.

However, the event to be staged at the newly constructed Sokol International Racetrack has been postponed until later in 2024 due to flooding throughout Central Asia.

In April snow melt caused freshets, which led to the calliopes of the Orsk Dam.

As a result sadly at least eight people died, with 96,472 in Kazakhstan forced to evacuate in early April.

Currently more than 8,000 people are currently staying in evacuation centres.

With the emergency and rescue works involving more than 25,000 people and 3,000 vehicles, 638 water pumps, 268 boats and 14 aircraft, MotoGP felt believed it was not appropriate to host a race in the region.

Below is the statement confirming the news.

The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports announce that the Grand Prix of Kazakhstan has been postponed until later in 2024.

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.

The inaugural Kazakhstan Motorcycle Grand Prix was originally hoped to be staged in 2023, but that was cancelled due to the Sokol circuit not being constructed in time.

The next MotoGP race is the French Grand Prix on May 10-12.

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