Words: Adam Wheeler

Source: Supplied.

An updated 2018 MXGP calendar will be published later this month with Youthstream still aiming to take the series to 20 events next year, but with only three fly-away fixtures, two of which will be held in Indonesia.

Youthstream president Giuseppe Luongo held a press conference Sunday morning at Matterley Basin and the 2017 Motocross of Nations (MXoN) and confirmed that Indonesia will have a back-to-back double stop next July.

Argentina is set to host the opening race as the first non-European date, while Turkey will entertain a grand prix for the first time since 2009, apparently near the town of Sakayra, east of Istanbul.

RedBud in Michigan will run the 2018 Motocross of Nations for the third visit to the United States in the last 10 years, however with that announcement came the news that there will be no American round of the world championship next year and Mexico has also been removed from the provisional calendar.

Other news sprung forth in the case of a new agreement with H&H Sports Protection, which is a Hong Kong-based group that own brands like the Italian Just 1 and will be responsible for taking MXGP to China for the first time in 2019 and at a new facility based near Shanghai, where H&H also have an HQ.

Luongo commented that the project in China was more than merely staging a grand prix and has an aim to “develop the sport” with a youth MX Academy program and other initiatives in place.

The double visit to Indonesia – one event taking place at Pangkal Pinang for the second time and another on the central Java island and west of Jakarta – will have the direct backing of the central government and is a ripe territory for the sport and motorcycle racing.

“The market grows every year,” said Luongo. “They sell more than six million bikes and our sport is growing unbelievably.” The Italian mentioned that both dates will occur in July to make the most of the driest season.

In the last of the news-laden exposition, Youthstream announced that the GP of Spain will return to the slate with the Red Sands facility engaged for the next three years and with backing from the city and region of Valencia.