A press conference of announcements regarding fresh Grand Prix contracts for a number of European stops for 2015 by Youthstream at Kegums and the Motocross of Nations last weekend also included several statements for other events and territories.

Youthstream President Giuseppe Luongo revealed the initial major change to the provisional 2015 schedule issued in the summer will see the removal of the Russian round and what would have been a return to the country for the first time since 2012. “At the moment Russia is complicated because of the sanctions,” he said. “We were dealing with a power person there but it is still complicated between Europe, Russia and the USA. We won’t take a risk to have Russia in the calendar and then have to remove it in six months.”

At 18 rounds the 2015 championship will also see a return for the popular Uddevalla circuit in Sweden – ever present as a Grand Prix host this century – and more racing at Loket in the Czech Republic. The hillside track has run GPs since 1995 and counts on decent local political backing as well as assistance from the Czech Ministry of Education and Sport.

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MXGP’s trek to Asia for the last two years could see the championship continue further east for 2016 as Youthstream talked again about a long overdue trip back to Australia. The country has not welcomed the FIM series since 2001 at the Broadford facility close to Melbourne. “We are in negotiations. They are at a good stage and we hope in 2016 to have a Grand Prix,” Luongo claimed. “One of my partners will go to Australia in two months. Australia is an important place for off-road and one of the biggest markets. One of our next steps is to be there.”

Back in Europe and the Assen circuit, famed as the oldest venue for MotoGP, is close to an MXGP inauguration as host of the Dutch Grand Prix in 2015. “The people from Assen are here,” said Luongo in Latvia. “We have not signed a contract but we are very close. I think we will get it done this week.”