In this Nov 17, 2019 file photo, MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo of Spain steers his motorcycle during the Valencia Motorcycle Grand Prix at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Cheste, near Valencia, Spain. (ALBERTO SAIZ / AP)

MotoGP said on Thursday it will resume the 2020 season stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic with back-to-back races at the Jerez circuit in Spain on July 19 and 26.

Eight MotoGP races have been axed this season including the Qatar, Dutch, German, Finnish, British, Australian, Japanese and Italian rounds

Five circuits will host double-headers and Spain will have seven races as part of the revised 13-round European calendar.

“It’s been hard work from our side... finally we obtained these possibilities,” Carmelo Ezpeleta, the CEO of promoter Dorna Sports, said in a statement.

“In principle we have some circuits where we’ll repeat races one week after another, because this is easy for movement and to maintain the protocol, although there are others where we’ll have just one race.”

Eight races have been axed this season including the Qatar, Dutch, German, Finnish, British, Australian, Japanese and Italian rounds.

The third round will take place in the Czech Republic on Aug 9 before two races in Austria on Aug 16 and 23. Misano will host two rounds in September.

MotoGP said at least 12 rounds would be held but that number could increase to 17 with four races outside Europe between Nov 22 and Dec 13.

ALSO READ: MotoGP World Championship postponed indefinitely over virus

The only long-haul races yet to be cancelled due to the pandemic are those in Thailand, Malaysia, the United States (Texas) and Argentina.

Those events and dates will be confirmed before July 31.

Moto2 and Moto3 were able to start their season in Qatar in March as they were already there for testing but MotoGP was unable to race due to quarantine restrictions.

The updated schedule:

- July 19: Spanish Grand Prix

- July 26: Grand Prix of Andalusia

- Aug 9: Czech Grand Prix

- Aug 16: Austrian Grand Prix

- Aug 23: Styria Grand Prix

- Sept 13: San Marino Grand Prix

- Sept 20: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

- Sept 27: Catalan Grand Prix

- Oct 11: French Grand Prix

- Oct 18: Aragon Grand Prix

- Oct 25: Teruel Grand Prix

- Nov 8: European Grand Prix

- Nov 15: Valencia Grand Prix