Not a headline we’d thought we’d ever write for a post – but it is being reported via GPOne that the Japanese MotoGP at Motegi is being cancelled and will be rescheduled for 3rd October, due to the current flight restrictions being caused by the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland.

It should noted that at this stage there has been no official confirmation from FIM as to the cancellation of the Motegi GP.

The clouds of volcanic ash are currently causing a no-fly policy being imposed over the UK and parts of Europe – which obviously makes it very hard for teams to mobilise and get their crews and staff off the ground and in the air en-route to Japan. It was also reported by GPOne that Dorna boss Carmello Ezpeleta was preparing to have two charter planes ready to take skeleton crews (enough to run a GP weekend) directly to Japan, thus avoiding all the airport delays, but it seems that this would prove to be difficult for some teams.

*UPDATE 19th April 2010:*
FIM have issued a press release confirming the postponement of the Motegi MotoGP race. Press release below:

FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix

Postponement of the Grand Prix of Japan

The recent vulcano eruption in Iceland has resulted in an ash cloud cover infiltration. Air traffic space over Europe has stopped all international travel in and out of Europe.

This case of ‘force majeure’ has obliged the Grand Prix Permanent Bureau composed of the FIM President Vito Ippolito and Dorna C.E.O. Carmelo Ezpeleta, with the agreement of the Grand Prix Promoter, Mobilityland Corporation, to postpone the Grand Prix of Japan planned on 25 April 2010.

The Grand Prix Permanent Bureau proposed equally to the FIM to reschedule the Grand Prix of Japan on 3 October 2010.

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