This year’s MotoGP calendar, initially set to be the longest in history with 22 rounds, faced a significant setback as the third round in Argentina was jeopardized by government spending cuts under the country’s new president.
The Argentina Grand Prix, scheduled to kick off on March 10 at Termas de Rio Hondo, was heavily subsidized by the government, making it vulnerable to the recent budget reductions.
As reported by Motorsport.com, the situation reached a critical point, and on January 31, Dorna and the FIM, the governing body of MotoGP, officially confirmed the removal of the Argentina GP from the 2024 calendar.
This decision comes after Argentina’s return to the MotoGP calendar in 2014, with the Rio Hondo track becoming a regular fixture, except for the COVID-impacted years of 2020 and 2021.
The Argentina GP has faced various challenges over the past few years, including a major fire that devastated its pit complex in 2021 and freight delays in 2022, leading to the postponement of the first day of the grand prix.
The recent announcement from the FIM and Dorna states that Argentina will not be replaced this year due to the inability of the event’s promoter to guarantee the necessary services at MotoGP standards, given the current circumstances in the country. MotoGP aims to return to race at Termas de Rio Hondo in 2025.
Originally slated to run consecutively with the Americas GP in Texas, the Argentina cancellation introduces a three-week gap between the Portuguese GP and the Austin round.
As of now, no further changes have been made to the calendar, and if all goes as planned, MotoGP will still achieve a record-breaking 21 rounds, including the addition of the inaugural Kazakhstan GP in June at the new Sokol circuit.
However, in the event of more rounds dropping off the calendar, MotoGP has a reserve option in the form of the Balaton Park track in Hungary.
The circuit, which opened last year, was designated as a reserve venue for the 2024 MotoGP season and could be utilized if it meets homologation requirements. Hungary last hosted a MotoGP round in 1992 at the Hungaroring.
