Youthstream releases provisional 2012 GP calendar
By TMX Archives on 15th Jul 11
The provisional calendar for the 2012 GP season is out. Dont take it as gospel yet, because experience shows that refinements are all part of the game, but the GP season will run into October, there will be no US GP, only two overseas rounds, Lierop is back on the schedule and there will be an increase to 16 rounds.
And the British GP at Matterley Basin promises to a massive extravaganza from Tuesday on, featuring not only MX1, MX2, MX3, WMX and a single event Vet championship but also both UEM GP entry series, the EM 65/85 finals and EM Amateur, which will even include overseas riders.
The absence of Glen Helen from the calendar was not altogether unexpected after the 'great American public' turned its back on the GP for the past two years.
And the return of Lierop to the negotiating table was confirmed in Sweden at the weekend by the club president Pieter-Paul Vermeulen.
The Dutchman also explained that it had been the decision of the club to withdraw from the 2011 series as they did not feel they could risk the solvency of the club on the terms offered – negotiations are now well-advanced for a deal which will suit all parties.
The increase to 16 rounds should be no hardship for the teams as they only face two expensive overseas GPs – the round trip to Mexico and Brazil, the latter at another new facility – the fourth in four years. Beto Carrero is a pleasure park in the south of the country.
And the 'extra' GP is a second GP in France as Ernee returns to the world scene alongside St Jean d' Angely.
The series begins at Valkenswaard on Easter Sunday in a triple-header programme which will also include the MX3 and WMX opener, to give the classes a degree of public awareness.
Spain and Portugal return to their regular Spring dates (and will clash with US SX), while Bulgaria and the inevitable Italian 'to be announced' close the year in October – after the Nations, despite the insistence last year that the world team contest would continue to be the last race of the outdoor season.
Qualification for the 65 and 85 classes in the six-day Matterley extravaganza will be via four regional groups.
For the qualifiers Britain is lumped together with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.
Provisional 2012 Calendars
World MX1/MX2 Championship
April 8 – Valkenswaard, HOLLAND with MX3 & WMX
April 22 – La Baneza, SPAIN with EM125
April 29 – Agueda, PORTUGAL with EM125
May 13 – venue tba, MEXICO
May 20 – Beto Carrero, BRAZIL
June 3 – St Jean d'Angely, FRANCE with EMX2
June 10 – Teutschenthal, GERMANY with EMX2
June 24 – Kegums, LATVIA with EMX2
July 1 – Uddevalla, SWEDEN with EMX2
July 29 – venue tba, BELGIUM with EM125
August 5 – Loket, CZECH REPUBLIC with EMX2
August 19 – Matterley Basin, BRITAIN with MX3, WMX, Vet, EMX2, EM125, EM85 & EM Amateur
September 2 – Lierop, HOLLAND with EMX2
September 9 – Ernee, FRANCE with EM125
October 7 – Sevlievo, BULGARIA with EM125
October 14 – venue tba, ITALY with MX3 & WMX
2012 Motocross des Nations
September 23 – Lommel, BELGIUM
