March 20 set for Valentino Rossi's Ducati debut

Valentino Rossi will make his Ducati race debut in Qatar on March 20, 2011.

The first chance for European fans to see the Italian in race action for Ducati will be on April 3 at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez.

The final 2011 calendar will be published this week after late changes were made to the Formula One schedule.

The F1 changes have impacted on three dates in MotoGP, with Le Mans one of the races that has had to be moved.

Next year’s MotoGP championship will again be run over 18 races but India and Abu Dhabi are expected to join the schedule in 2012.