The number of turns MotoGP™, Moto2™ and Moto3™ races must be adjusted to ensure greater parity in race duration.
Race distances in the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship will be adjusted from 2018, with a two-year transition starting this season before the latest changes come into effect in 2019. This is to ensure that the Races have a similar duration at each venue on the world championship calendar, improving the organization of events and helping broadcasters better structure race programming.
Due to regulatory limitations regarding the use of fuel and engines in the premier class, it is not possible to increase the distance of some MotoGP™ races and decrease the distance of others. Therefore, to achieve the goal of less variable race duration, seven MotoGP™ races will be shortened starting in 2018. The Americas GP, the French GP, the Catalan GP, the Czech GP and the San Marino GP will have one lap less, with the Spanish GP having to be shortened by two laps and the Valencia GP by three. These changes are permanent.
In Moto2™ and Moto3™, however, there are two steps for manufacturers to prepare. This year, the changes will be essentially the same as in MotoGP™ since the Moto3™ races in the Americas, the GPs of Spain, Catalonia, Czech Republic, Aragon, Malaysia and Valencia will be reduced by one lap and the French Moto3™ GP shortened by two laps. Moto2™ will see the GPs of the Americas, French, Catalan, German, Czech, San Marino, Japanese and Malaysian shorten bya lap, and the Spanish and Valencia Grands Prix will have two fewer rounds in 2018.
In 2019 there will be a greater reduction in race distance in the Moto2™ and Moto3™ categories. MotoGP™ races will no longer be adjusted.
Additionally, there is a new update to the MotoGP™ regulations for 2018: if a red flag appears after 75% or more of the race distance, the result will be declared. This does not change the current regulations in Moto2™ and Moto3™ in which two thirds of the race distance must be covered to obtain a final result, and aims to improve the safety of riders and fans.
Source: MotoGP.com
