Kazakhstan has signed a deal to become the first Central Asian country to host a race in the premier category of the motorcycle world championship.
MotoGP promoter Dorna said on September 27 in a statement that a five-year deal had been reached for the Sokol International Racetrack -- located just outside the city of Almaty -- to hold a race starting in 2023 as part of the FIM MotoGP World Championship.
"The region will be a new pitstop for MotoGP as the sport continues to expand around the world, engaging with new markets and fan bases," Dorna said in the statement.
Kazakhstan will be the 30th country to host a MotoGP race since the championship started in 1949.