KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — The government has given national riders the green light to compete in the World Motorcycle Grand Prix in Jerez, Spain next month, said Petronas Yamaha SRT team principal Datuk Razlan Razali.

He said they were informed of the good news by the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) today.

“But we are still waiting for the official letter from the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS), which should contain the conditions set by the ministry, National Security Council (MKN) and also the Ministry of Health (MOH),” he said when contacted by Bernama.

National rider Khairul Idham Pawi, who is also popularly known as KIP, races in the Moto3 class for Petronas Sprinta Racing.

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When the 2020 World MotoGP race finally revs off, there will be 13 races held in Europe between July and November, with the possible addition of four rounds outside Europe in November and December.

And the first of these rounds will see teams travelling to Spain for two weekends of racing action at Jerez on July 19 and July 26.

Commenting on his team, Razlan believes that Petronas Yamaha SRT is ready after starting training when the movement control order (MCO), implemented to curb the spread of Covid-19, was lifted.

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He said that national riders, including those from other teams, would leave for Spain on July 13.

“Khairul Idham has undergone training using a training bike at the Sepang circuit while our MotoGP riders (Franco Morbidelli of Italy dan Fabio Quartararo of France) trained in their own countries,” he said.

Petronas Yamaha SRT is led by Morbidelli and Quartararo in the premier MotoGP class, while team Petronas Sprinta Racing is represented by Xavi Vierge and Jake Dixon in Moto2 as well as by Khairul Idham and John McPhee in Moto3.

The other two Malaysian riders who will also be competing in Jerez are Aspar Team’s Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah (Moto2) and ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team’s Kasma Daniel (Moto2). — Bernama