Sad news. Australia’s season-opening round of the 2021 MOTUL FIM World Superbike Championship, normally held in late February at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, has been postponed due to the ongoing complexities and risks associated with the COVID-19…

The Australian round of WSBK in 2020 was the only one not impacted by COVID-19

The general Manager of the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, David Bennett, announced the postponement today with circuit management currently working with the Victorian Government and the world organising body for the category, DORNA WSBK organisation (DWO), to develop an alternative date for the World Superbike Championship round.

“We have been closely monitoring the situation in Australia and globally, and working with our stakeholders. We’ve delayed our decision as late as possible, but unfortunately with the uncertainty that exists in the world today, we are going to have to postpone our World Superbike round,” said Bennett.

The Australian round of WSBK has been canceled for 2021.

Australia’s Phillip Island was the only circuit on the 2020 world calendar to host a World Superbike event not interrupted by COVID-19. The pandemic closed-in on Europe and the rest of the world within days of the World Superbike Championship leaving Australia, and the teams and organisers went into lockdown. DWO hopped into action to develop a COVID-safe championship and successfully ran seven rounds in Europe from July to October.

Last week, Executive Director of the Championship, Gregorio Lavilla, announced DWO’S intention to run a 2021 WorldSBK calendar of 11 to 13 rounds, with the majority to be held in Europe but the possibility for circuits outside the Euro-zone to be included in the schedule.

UMI

 

Share this article