Dorna Communications The provisional 2019 calendar has now been released and you can check it out below. There are 19 races and no new tracks, but there’s plenty to look forward to. We’ve already had news about the preseason test dates and there are plenty of headlines waiting in the wings, not least Jorge Lorenzo’s (Ducati Team) switch to Repsol Honda at the end of the year. And the fireworks will begin early as the five-time World Champion is allowed to test with Honda from Valencia. We have the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup beginning next year, too, and Triumph come in as the official Moto2 engine supplier - setting us up for a season to remember in every class. So without further ado, here it is - your provisional 2019 calendar! Round Event Circuit Race day 1 QATAR GP Losail International Circuit 10th MARCH * 2 ARGENTINA GP Termas de Rio Hondo 31st MARCH 3 AMERICAS GP Circuit of the Americas 14th APRIL 4 SPANISH GP Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto 05th MAY 5 FRENCH GP Le Mans 19th MAY 6 ITALIAN GP Autodromo di Mugello 02nd JUNE 7 CATALUNYA GP Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya 16th JUNE 8 DUTCH GP TT Circuit Assen 30th JUNE 9 GERMAN GP Sachsenring 07th JULY 10 CZECH GP Automotodrom Brno 04th AUGUST 11 AUSTRIAN GP Red Bull Ring - Spielberg 11th AUGUST 12 BRITISH GP Silverstone Circuit 25th AUGUST 13 SAN MARINO GP Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli 15th SEPTEMBER 14 ARAGON GP MotorLand Aragon 22nd SEPTEMBER 15 THAI GP Chang International Circuit 06th OCTOBER 16 JAPANESE GP Twin Ring Motegi 20th OCTOBER 17 AUSTRALIAN GP Phillip Island Circuit 27th OCTOBER 18 MALAYSIAN GP Sepang International Circuit 03rd NOVEMBER 19 VALENCIA GP Circuit Ricardo Tormo 17th NOVEMBER * Evening race<doc-sep>KTM's plans to gain conclusive MotoGP race data with its 2019 machine have been thwarted by Mika Kallio's season-ending knee injury at Sachsenring. But while the 'proof' is lacking, KTM motorsport director Pit Beirer insists the big design decisions had already been made, while Bradley Smith is now testing some remaining parts during grands prix weekends. Five wild-cards had been planned for Kallio this season, to refine and then confirm the substantial changes made for next year's RC16, before handing the bike over to new signing Johann Zarco and Pol Espargaro for the start of winter testing. MotoGP bikes - what's the difference? Video of MotoGP bikes - what's the difference? But Kallio only rode in two events - Jerez and Catalunya - before his German injury, completing a race distance at the first outing in Jerez , when he promisingly finished as the top KTM. The remaining wild-cards were planned for last weekend's Austrian round and at next month's Aragon event, by which time KTM hoped to have put three race-distances of data on the 2019 machine. "The plan was messed up," said Beirer. "I think the [2019] bike is pretty good and competitive, but we were not super lucky. "In Barcelona Mika was on a strange set-up on Friday and Saturday then had a really good set-up for Sunday, with a great warm-up. So we expected a lot in the race, to see where the [new] bike really is… First lap he crashed. "Then we were all hoping at Sachsenring to see what the [new] bike does in the race and he was not there." The team's situation worsened when Espargaro was injured next time at Brno. However, despite losing his seat to Zarco, Smith then agreed to test what parts he could for KTM. A new engine is definitely one of the changes for the 2019 bike, and widely assumed to feature a counter-rotating crankshaft. But Beirer said the full version of the 2019 'Kallio' bike won't be given to Smith and Espargaro this season for 'homologation' reasons. This has caused some head-scratching, since - as a concession manufacturer - KTM is able to freely change its engine and chassis design during the season. So it is presumably something outside of those areas. "Due to homologation this [2019] bike is not allowed to be used by our racers. You will not see next year's bike this year in the races, because only the wild-card guy could use it," said Beirer, refusing to state which of the 2019 parts he was referring to: "There are some things that are homologated and a wild-card or test rider could use different things, of course within the rules. But then [there are] unhomologated parts. Because some things you can only homologate and that's it and you cannot change any more. "So we could test with him [Kallio] different things to the race guys. "So the bike we actually want to see now on the race track, we will not see at the moment. And now we don't have a test rider, so we don't see it even at home! So it's not an easy situation," added Beirer, speaking before KTM announced an agreement for Randy de Puniet to take over Kallio's testing duties until he recovers. But there are currently no confirmed plans for the Frenchman to take on Kallio's remaining wild-cards, meaning: "Now we need to go testing with our race guys, to make sure this is the bike for next year. " The MotoGP engine list shows Smith received two new ('Kallio-spec') engines for practice and qualifying at Brno, but reverted to the standard design for the race after technical issues. The Englishman remained on the standard engines to help ensure a trouble-free home event, as KTM's lone rider in Austria, but hopes to be back on the new engines next time at Silverstone . "There are still many other things that we want to try and, like in Brno, we said to Bradley, 'we still have to take some decisions on some parts in 2019. Are you open to test them?' And he said 'yes'." 'The 2019 bike is ready' Despite the double injury blow and previous accidents preventing the 2019 prototype getting a MotoGP race run, Beirer said the big design decisions have already been made. "We don't have proof of a race result for where that bike is, but what we think is good, what Mika liked, we had on the bike. So the bike is ready," he said. "But we will not have it confirmed three times by three good races. "Pretty much the decision is clear about how the bike will look in November. "If you don’t do it now, you will not have parts [ready] in November. So there is a certain risk and we really wanted to double or triple check but that's not possible now. So there is no security on that, but it will not set us back as far as how the bike will look." 'We don’t want Zarco to test ten different bikes' The November post-season test at Valencia will not only mark the official start of 2019 preparations, but also the much-anticipated RC16 debut for new signing Zarco. The Frenchman has so far claimed five podiums and four pole position since joining the premier-class with Tech3 Yamaha and KTM has made clear they believe he will help take their MotoGP project to the next level. Much of the early groundwork by Kallio with the 2019 machine has been aimed at getting a settled technical package in place for Zarco's arrival. "These last two years have been really wild if you compare us to another MotoGP team. Parts are flying, flying out. Trucks are full of part," Beirer said. "So even if we need to do more now - once Tech3 is coming on board, and Johann - we want to be more quiet. "So we really want to go through the crazy things now and have real stability when he is coming. "For sure we don’t want him to test ten different bike concepts in November. The target is to give him a bike and say, 'now you ride and let's work on normal [set-up] things' to adapt to his riding style. "That's a big target. That's also why Mike [Leitner, team manager] was so good and so strong with us, always warning, 'Hey, next season starts in November and we need to start early, to have many new bikes and parts ready'."<doc-sep>After a 42-year absence, MV Agusta is returning to grand prix racing next season, as a manufacturer in the Moto2 class. The Italian factory - which has joined forces with Forward Racing for the new project - will use a steel trellis frame with aluminium side plates, an aluminium swingarm and Ohlins suspension to house the new-for-2019 765cc Triumph Moto2 engine. "I am really proud to see the dream to re-join the Motorcycling World Championship come true," said MV Agusta president Giovanni Castiglioni. MV Agusta Moto2 bike Video of MV Agusta Moto2 bike "I would like to thank all our engineers, technicians and designers, plus the staff of the Forward Racing Team for having carried out this project in such a short amount of time. "I want to express my gratitude to Giovanni Cuzari, as he believed in us and pushed us to do our best. Of course there is still a lot of work ahead of us, but step by step we will improve our competitiveness.” Forward team owner Giovanni Cuzari added: “I have been chasing this dream since Claudio [Castiglioni’s] era. Many times I have insisted with MV Agusta for a return in MotoGP, and, when Giovanni has taken the place of his father, I have often encouraged him to believe in such an ambitious project. "Finally he did it, and today, 42 years later, we will take the first steps with the Moto2 MV Agusta prototype. I am very emotional but aware that this is only a first outing, and that there is a huge amount of work ahead of us. "I got to know closely the Castiglioni Research Centre, the true heart of MV Agusta, and now I’m convinced that we have everything to accomplish a great project: the passion and professionalism of the group guided by Paolo Bianchi, together with my fantastic team, which I thank individually, is definitely the right mix to be able to aim for the best. "Today’s is a starting point to get to bring this brand back really high. A special thanks goes to all those who supported and support this project, now the attention goes to the track.” Project leader Brian Gillen said that the change from (600cc) Honda to Triumph engines and introduction of a new Magneti-Marelli ECU meant 2019 was the 'perfect' time to enter Moto2, which has seen race wins for Kalex, KTM and Speed Up so far this season. “It’s a few years now that we are thinking about a return to the Motorcycling World Championship and with the modification of the regulations of the Moto2 category for 2019 it’s the perfect opportunity to express our technical know-how, that we developed during the last six years in which we raced in Superbike and Supersport," Gillen said. "The Moto2 project is an ambitious one and we are involving our R&D resources and all our racing experience in order to develop a completely new bike, which differs from all the others and which reflects the values of MV Agusta.” Experienced Moto2 competitor Suter, Forward's current chassis supplier, is also rumoured to be assisting MV Agusta with the new project. Forward Racing and MV Agusta are yet to confirm their 2019 riders. The current line-up of Stefano Manzi and Eric Granado have finished in the points only once so far this year, with a tenth place for Manzi at Le Mans.<doc-sep>
MotoGP has released its provisional 2019 calendar, which confirms that - with both Finland and now Mexico pushed back until at least 2020 - there will be no new events next season. The 19-round championship is due to begin in Qatar one week earlier than this year, on March 10, followed by a two-weekend break before Argentina. There will then be another two-weekend gap between COTA and the first European round, at Jerez. In 2020, one of those free weekends is set to be taken by Mexico, which is due to be paired with Austin. The July summer break, cut to a meagre two weekends this year, will be extended to three weekends with Assen-Sachsenring (present despite some earlier doubts) and Misano-Aragon becoming back-to-back events. The Misano-Aragon pairing, which produces a two-weekend break after Silverstone, seems to be aimed at avoiding a direct clash with the Italian F1 Grand Prix on September 8. As this season, Brno and Austria will remain back-to-back, plus the usual Japan-Australia-Malaysia tripleheader. The season is due to finish in Valencia on November 17. Despite the same events, next year's pre-season test schedule will be reduced from three to two outings, at Sepang and then Qatar. Should both Mexico and Finland be ready for 2020, it is thought that one of the current European rounds will be dropped, meaning a 20-race schedule. Provisional 2019 MotoGP calendar: Round 1: 10 March Qatar* Doha/Losail Round 2: 31 March Argentina Termas de Rio Hondo Round 3: 14 April Americas COTA Round 4: 5 May Spain Jerez de la Frontera Round 5: 19 May France Le Mans Round 6: 2 June Italy Mugello Round 7: 16 June Catalunya Catalunya Round 8: 30 June Netherlands TT Assen Round 9: 7 July Germany Sachsenring Round 10: 4 August Czech Republic Brno Round 11: 11 August Austria Red Bull Ring Round 12: 25 August Great Britain Silverstone Round 13: 15 September San Marino & Riviera di Rimini Misano Round 14: 22 September Aragon MotorLand Aragon Round 15: 6 October Thailand Buriram Round 16: 20 October Japan Motegi Round 17: 27 October Australia Phillip Island Round 18: 3 November Malaysia Sepang Round 19: 17 November Valencia Ricardo Tormo-Valencia * Evening Race