1999 ... Kenny Roberts Jr. beat Max Biaggi in the championship's last visit.
Source:
Gerardo Horovitz / AP
The MotoGP World Championship will not be racing in Argentina as planned next year, with the nation's round being scrubbed from the 2013 calendar over political issues.
Grand Prix
Track
Date
1
Qatar
Losail
April 7
2
Americas
Austin
April 21
3
Spain
Jerez
May 5
4
France
Le Mans
May 19
5
Italy
Mugello
June 2
6
Catalunya
Barcelona
June 16
7
Netherlands
Assen
June 29
8
Germany
Sachsenring
July 7
9
USA
Laguna Seca
July 21
10
Indianapolis
Indianapolis
August 18
11
Czech Republic
Brno
August 25
12
Great Britain
Silverstone
September 1
13
San Marino
Misano
September 15
14
Aragon
Motorland Aragon
September 29
15
Malaysia
Sepang
October 13
16
Australia
Phillip Island
October 20
17
Japan
Motegi
October 27
18
Valencia
Ricardo Tormo
November 10
Argentina has not hosted a round of the MotoGP championship since 1999, but a race at the upgraded Termas de Rio Hondo circuit was pencilled in for April.
But plans for the race were thrown into doubt in June when the Spanish government recommended Repsol staff not travel to the South American nation, following the Argentinian government nationalising the oil company's local arm Repsol YPF.
With many teams and riders across MotoGP's three categories receiving some form of sponsorship, Dorna decided against pressing ahead with the event.
"The deadline for Dorna Sports, commercial rights holder of the MotoGP World Championship, to officially propose the 2013 MotoGP Calendar to FIM was November 18th," said an official statement on motogp.com.
"On November 20th, the Spanish government notified through email sent to Dorna Sports the withdrawal of the above-referred recommendation, when the time for the Calendar presentation had already expired and therefore, there was no possibility to include a new MotoGP event."
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Dorna is pressing on with plans for the Gran Premio de la República Argentina to be on the calendar for 2014, pending the circuit receiving FIM approval.
The 2013 MotoGP World Championship will now consist of just 18 races, kicking off at Qatar on April 7 and finishing at Valencia on November 10.
The series will make its traditional Australian stop at Phillip Island on October 20, while there will be three rounds in the United States for the first time (Austin, Laguna Seca, Indianapolis), as well as the now-traditional four rounds in Spain.
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