By Dean Adams
With Thailand now cancelled and the Malaysian MotoGP round seemingly at risk (new COVID cases are actually higher in Malaysia than they are in Thailand according to WHO figures) it’s becoming virtual water cooler chat as to where an additional race could be held in the USA. Under series duress Dorna could make about any racetrack of decent length work but let’s just consider these four:
Circuit of the Americas, Austin
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Laguna Seca Raceway
Utah Motorsports Campus
Seemingly the easiest thing to propose if MotoGP needs to schedule a second round in the USA is to simply run a second race at Austin. No travel required after the first race, all teams, bikes and personnel remain in Texas.
Indy last held a MotoGP race in 2015. Their “MotoGP” road course still exists and might pass a FIM track inspection but has seen better days. Why it’s probably not going to happen: for more than 30 years it has been well-known in motorsports circles that aside from riding his own Harley-Davidson, Roger Penske has little affection for motorcycles. And motorcycle races. (Roger Penske now own IMS and Indy Car)
Laguna Seca: The track renown the world over for the road leading up to the track being better than a third of the racetracks in the world. MotoGP last raced the famed circuit in California in 2013 but WSBK raced the venue until 2019. Presumably the track still has some kind of FIM homologation status.
Utah (AKA Miller Motorsport Park). Last held a WSBK race in 2011.
