Dorna Sports Officially Announces Thailand GP as the Opening Round of MotoGP 2025!

DORNA Sports has announced that the Thailand Grand Prix will be the opening round of the MotoGP season for 2025 and 2026. The race will continue to be held at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand. This decision marks the first time in 25 years that the MotoGP season will start in Southeast Asia. For the first year, the Thailand GP is scheduled to take place from February 28 to March 2, 2025.

A statement from MotoGP on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, confirmed this announcement. The statement proudly declared that the Thailand Grand Prix will kick off the racing season in 2025 and 2026. This is a historic moment as it marks the first time in over two decades that the MotoGP season will begin in Southeast Asia. The provisional dates for the 2025 Thailand GP are from February 28 to March 2.

The Thailand Grand Prix first appeared on the MotoGP calendar in 2018, and since then, the Chang International Circuit in Buriram has hosted the race four times. The total attendance at the circuit has exceeded 800,000 people, highlighting the significant enthusiasm of MotoGP fans in Thailand.

Dr. Gongsak Yodmani, Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand, emphasized the substantial benefits of having the Thailand GP as the season opener. According to him, Thailand’s role as the season opener provides a significant opportunity to leverage this world-class sporting event to boost the local economy and generate substantial revenue. This aligns with the Sports Tourism policy aimed at promoting Thailand as a leading destination for motor sports.

Dr. Yodmani also pointed out that the 2025 season will be particularly exciting due to significant changes among MotoGP teams. This will heighten global fan interest as they eagerly anticipate seeing top riders on their new bikes for the first time at the Chang International Circuit.

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports, also expressed his pleasure at the appointment of the Thailand GP as the MotoGP season opener for the next two years. Ezpeleta noted that this decision reflects the importance of the Southeast Asian market in the context of global motorcycle racing. He explained that Southeast Asia is a key market for the sport as well as for MotoGP's manufacturers and partners. Thailand, in particular, plays a crucial role, and the vibrant atmosphere created by the fans in Buriram each year proves this. Ezpeleta is confident that the circuit will provide a fantastic setting for the season opener.

The dates for the 2025 MotoGP race are still provisional and will be confirmed later. The complete calendar for the 2025 MotoGP season will be published by the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) at the end of the 2024 season.

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