MotoGP calendar update: Australia cancelled, Algarve added, Malaysia moved

The Australian round of the MotoGP World Championship has been cancelled for the second year in succession, due to ongoing 'travel complications and logistical restrictions' caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The popular Phillip Island event had been scheduled for October 22-24 and its departure means that the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang has been moved forwards to take over that weekend, thus forming a back-to-back with Buriram in Thailand.

Meanwhile a return to Portimao, which hosted round 3 of this year, has now been added to the calendar (as the 'Algarve Grand Prix') to form the penultimate event of the 2021 season on November 5-7. It will be the third time MotoGP has raced at Portimao in just over a year. This April's race was dominated by world championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) and Joan Mir (Suzuki) completing the podium. 

Phillip Island joins Motegi and KymiRing in being officially cancelled from the 2021 schedule while the Argentine round at Termas de Rio Hondo remains postponed, with no new date.