Ezpeleta talks revised MotoGP calendar

Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta has said that government acceptance of MotoGP's coronavirus safety protocol was key to being able to confirm today's revised 2020 calendar.

Eight MotoGP events have been cancelled and a big question mark still hangs over the four remaining flyaway races, but MotoGP is now confident of salvaging at least a 13-race European season out of a planned 20 races.

That's partly possible due to holding back-to-back race weekends at five of the eight venues.

“It has been hard work from our side and from the side of the promoters, finally we obtained these possibilities. Once we had the protocol approved then we are able to propose this calendar," Ezpeleta said. “The protocol is the hardest one we have. We’ve presented it to everyone. If the situation improves later there could be some changes [to it], but always in agreement with the authorities."

The protocol, marked as confidential but leaked after being distributed to the teams, is a 30-page document with sections covering: 'Minimum Essential Staff', 'Travel, Accommodation and Insurance', 'Medical Protocol - Medical test system for Covid-19' (before and during an event, includes a Tracking App 'for all participants to be able to be medically traced during the championship; test results, body temperature, circuit access, symptoms etc.'), 'Provisional Time Schedule' (Jerez), 'Access to the Facilities', 'Teams and Racing Service' (pits, offices, catering, motorhomes etc), 'Procedures' (revised parc ferme, grid, podium  - with riders 2m apart - etc), 'Covid-19 Health and Safety Plan' (PPEs, social distancing), 'Circuit Map - Areas Distribution' (How different parts of the Jerez circuit will be sealed off), 'Simulations of Key PR Actions' (parc ferme, grid, podium ceremony, plus TV interviews) and a 'Draft Waiver - Special Covid-19 measures'.

Of the calendar line-up, Ezpeleta said: "In principle we have some circuits where we will repeat races one week after another, because this is easy for movement and to maintain the protocol, although there are others where we will have just one race.

"We thought when we ran into the problem of the pandemic, we realised we can do 13 races and then if it’s possible to go outside Europe it will be interesting.

"The races outside Europe need to be confirmed before the end of July, then also our agreement with the manufacturers and with the teams is to finish the Championship no later than the 13th of December, that means we need to decide which of the races to do, if all of them are possible, and we will decide which races we will have outside Europe.

"This is something we will put in the calendar as a proposal and we will decide on it no later than the end of July.”

It was already known that the remaining Asian races, Buriram and Sepang, will only go ahead if spectators are present. Ezpeleta said the same applies to COTA and Termas de Rio Hondo.

“We need to wait because as we’ve commented before, to do the races outside Europe it’s necessary to do it with spectators," he said. "We are waiting to see the development of health measures in other countries, in the States, Argentina, Malaysia and Thailand, and then we will see what is possible to include in the calendar.”

With the European finale being held at Valencia on November 13 and an agreed cut-off date of December 13 for the final 2020 race, the logistical reality is that not all of the four surviving flyaways can actually take place anyway.

The US and Argentinean rounds are widely regarded as least likely to happen, with perhaps a 50-50 chance at present for Thailand and Malaysia. The borders of both countries are currently 'closed' and all public sporting events remain banned, but a lot could change in five months.

Of the four, Sepang is the easiest event logistically, being located next to Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

“We will see," Ezpeleta said of a season finale at Sepang. "It’s a possibility, but all the races outside of Europe are pending and we don’t know exactly.

"If there are no races outside Europe then the Championship will finish like every year in Valencia, if not it depends which races are able to do it but Malaysia is one possibility, yes.”