New update of the 2022 Trial World Championship calendar, this time with bad news for all riders and fans.
The promoter of the event has confirmed the suspension of the opening round of the outdoor world championship, which was to be held at the Motegi circuit (Japan), on May 20 and 22.
The statement reads as follows:
“Given the current health situation and restrictions related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the FIM, the Japan Motorcycle Federation (MFJ) and local organiser Mobilityland have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s TrialGP of Japan, originally scheduled for May 20-22 in Motegi, Japan.
The FIM would like to thank the Japan Motorcycling Federation (MFJ) and Mobilityland for their support and will be delighted to see this important event on the Trial calendar since 2000 return in 2023.
A new timetable for 2022 is under consideration and will be communicated as soon as the situation allows.”
FRANCE’S GP IN DOUBT
There is discontent on the part of several federations, such as the British and the Spanish, largely due to the very high costs involved in organising a Grand Prix and the scant help provided by the promoter.
The British GP has been off the calendar since 2019, while Spain, which has traditionally always hosted a Grand Prix on the annual racing calendar, will not hold any in this 2022 season.
The latest to question the holding of a Grand Prix is France, which could cancel the June 19 round in Lourdes. A situation that would have triggered the move of the location to Cahors, also in France, to force the celebration of a GP in the French country, a proposal that a priori has also been declined.
Despite everything, there is no official confirmation, so there is hope that it will still end up being held.
2022 WORLD TRIAL CALENDAR
With this situation, the trial world championship would start on June 11 and 12, the calendar begins its most frenetic stage, with four Grands Prix in just five weeks. Andorra, France, Belgium and Germany will be visited.
Then there will be a summer break until September 16, when Italy will host the last GP of the season.
THE E-TRIAL CATEGORY DISAPPEARS
From this year 2022, electric motorcycles will compete fully in the Trial World Championship. There will not be a specific category, but they may be present in the rest of the categories along with Q2 and Q4.
