Qatar, 2012The FIM has released a provisional calendar for the 2013 MotoGP season, which will include 19 rounds, one more than this year. Both U.S. races, at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, and at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, will return.

The season will start on March 31 in Qatar – traditionally a night event – and will be followed by back-to-back races at venues yet to be announced. The campaign will end at the Valencia circuit on Nov. 10.

The Portuguese GP, which took place in May this year, is absent from the calendar. The open slots are believed to be for Argentina and Texas, which secured contracts to host races from next season.

"Next year we'll have three GPs in Spain, we'll have Argentina and Texas in April so as to start earlier in Qatar and to arrive in Europe in May," said Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta earlier this year.

Provisional 2013 FIM MotoGP calendar

March 31       Qatar*               Doha/Losail
April 14       TBC                  TBC
April 21       TBC                  TBC
May 5 Spain Jerez de la Frontera May 19 France Le Mans June 2 Italy Mugello June 16 Catalunya Barcelona June 29 Netherlands** Assen July 14 Germany Sachsenring July 21 United States*** Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca August 18 Indianapolis IMS August 25 Czech Republic Brno September 1 Great Britain Silverstone September 15 San Marino Misano September 29 Aragon Motorland October 13 Malaysia Sepang October 20 Australia Phillip Island October 27 Japan Motegi November 10 Valencia Valencia