Update: Qatar officially confirmed as MotoGཧ♎P's only pre-season testing venue, but all riders given access to last two days of Shakedown.

MotoGP riders are set to have just onღe Official test venue before the start of the 20🌳21 world championship, following the cancellation of the Sepang outings.

The new year traditionally begins with a Shakedown in Malaysia, featuring test riders, rookies and Concessions teaꦚms, followed swiftly by an Official Test (for all riders) at the same track.

However, Malaysia recently declared a state of emergency and both Sepang events have been cancelled due to the 'ongoing C𓄧ovid-19 p🌊andemic and the resulting lockdowns'.

IRTA CEO Mike Trimby told wuqian0821.com that, while the Official Sepang test will not be replaced (there had been speculation that a European venue might ⛄step-in), the Shakedown will now be moved to Qatar on March 5-6-7.

Losail is then due to hold the lone remaining Official MotoGP test on March 10-11-12, foᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚllowed by the season-opener night race scheduled on March 26-27-28.

To avoid any risk of l🍰ast y♚ear's Qatar problems, where only the Moto2 and Moto3 events were held after a sudden change in Covid restrictions meant Italians couldn't enter the country, MotoGP teams and riders are set to remain in Qatar from the test until the race.

The reduction in pre-season testing means the class rookies - Enea Bastianini, Luca Marini and Jorge Martin - will ♒now start the season with only six𒀰 days of MotoGP track time, instead of nine.

And while all teams will now need to make technical dec♔isions based on data gathered at just one track (wiไth the unique desert and night race conditions), KTM is arguably the manufacturer to lose the most from the reduction in testing. 

Having started last season with technical Concessions - then lost them due to a stunning three wins and eight podiums - KTM is allowed to join Ap🔯rilia in updatin꧃g its engine design for 2021.

However, unlike Aprilia, KTM's engine design will be fixed once racing begins, meaning any🎐 major issues with the new RC16 engine need to identified and solved during pre-season testing.

The special Covid technical freeze states that the other manufacturers - Suzuki, Ducati, Yamaha and Honda - must con🐬tinue to use their 2020 engine designs until the end of 2021.

Unlike in 2020, all manufacturers are allowed 𒊎🎃to update their aerodynamic package this season.

The ca💮ncellation of the Sepang test also scuppers the planned team launch by the local Petronas Yamaha squad, which was due to present its new l💮ine-up of Valentino Rossi and reigning title runner-up Franco Morbidelli at the circuit on the eve of the event.

The team told wuqian0821.com that they are still in discussions about a re🥃vised team launch.