Highlights

Qatar confirmed as 2007 MotoGP season-opener

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-10-18 10:05

LONDON, Oct 17 - The 2007 MotoGP world championship will start in Qatar next March instead of Jerez in southern Spain.

Organisers published a revised 18-race calendar on Tuesday, with Qatar, this year's second round, confirmed as the season-opener on March 10 before Jerez on March 25.

Spain will host three races -- at Jerez, Barcelona and the season-ender in Valencia in November -- while Italy gains a second with the San Marino/Riviera di Rimini race scheduled for Misano on September 2.

Portugal, which last weekend hosted the penultimate round of the season and renewed its deal for two more years, moves forward to Sept 16 and ahead of a far Eastern trio of races in Japan, Australia and Malaysia.

A draft calendar published in August had Portugal as the penultimate round. Turkey and China have also switched their dates, with Istanbul now the third race on April 22 and China following on May 6.