Valencia MotoGP race cancelled due to deadly flood damage in Spain

MotoGP organisers confirmed that the Valencia play finale volition not spell up aft the portion was devastated by floods earlier this week.

Valencia volition not big the last MotoGP lawsuit of the play organisers announced owing to the devastating flooding successful the eastbound of Spain earlier this week.

The motorcycle contention was owed to beryllium held connected November 17 and a caller venue volition beryllium “confirmed arsenic soon arsenic possible” said contention organisers successful a connection connected Friday.

Many of the apical MotoGP riders had called for the contention to beryllium moved distant from Valencia aft the deadly floods, which person killed astatine slightest 205 people.

Floods devastated towns, piling up cars collapsing bridges and filling streets with mud successful Spain’s biggest earthy catastrophe for decades.

“We person been successful changeless interaction with the section authorities and the circuit to champion measure however we tin assistance and however we should proceed,” said MotoGP.

“After cautiously weighing up the imaginable affirmative interaction of MotoGP racing successful Valencia connected delayed dates versus ensuring nary azygous assets is diverted from the betterment efforts by the beingness of MotoGP, the title and section authorities person been obliged to cancel the 2024 Valencia GP.

“In lieu of racing successful Valencia, MotoGP volition alternatively contention for Valencia … the title volition enactment our corporate efforts down backing the alleviation funds already successful place.”

The penultimate contention takes spot successful Malaysia this weekend, with Span’s Jorge Martin apical of the standings, up of Italy’s Francesco Bagnaia, who won the 2023 title successful Valencia.

Both riders backed a determination distant from Valencia.

“At the extremity of the day, I deliberation the champion solution volition beryllium to contention elsewhere,” said Primac Ducati rider Martin connected Thursday.

“Knowing the concern arsenic it is, it’s not close … this could beryllium incorrect to contention there,” said Bagnaia.

Spanish reports said the Ricardo Tormo racetrack was not affected by the flooding, but infrastructure astir it was.

Other sporting events successful the region, including LaLiga champions Real Madrid’s sojourn to look Valencia owed to instrumentality spot connected Saturday, person been postponed.

It is not the archetypal clip that top-level motorsport successful Europe has been cancelled due to the fact that of flooding.

The 2023 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix successful Imola, Italy, was cancelled by Formula One organisers aft flooding successful the region.

Valencia region’s Ricardo Tormo Circuit usually holds the play finale of the MotoGP World Championship wherever the champions of the play are crowned. Francesco Bagnaia of Italy and Ducati Lenovo Team celebrates connected the podium astatine the 2023 Valencia MotoGP contention [Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images]