MotoGP Aiming for a July Start with Focus on Europe

Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta has suggested that the 2020 MotoGP season could finally get underway in July with a focus on Europe and with races being held behind closed doors.

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has put the championship on hold with the first 11 rounds being called off or postponed due to various lockdown restrictions.

Though Ezpeleta had previously indicated that the season was in danger of being cancelled if no vaccine was found, a realistic chance to hold a championship could be on the cards again.

The Dorna boss described plans to run a calendar starting in July that would be largely, if not entirely, comprised of European races with the flyaway rounds possibly taking place at the end of the season.

Speaking to BT Sport, Ezpeleta said:

“We have seen different scenarios – the most optimistic is to try to start in the end of July. Then it will depend on the situation because we will need to take care of two things: one is any individual country will need to allow us (to race) when the doors are open and the second is the possibility to travel from one country to another.

“In principle, we will concentrate to try to make a championship in Europe starting in the end of July (or the) beginning of August, start to make races, and depending on what the situation is, we will then consider the possibility to go elsewhere at the end of the year if the countries allow us to do it but always finish on time (in November).

“This is the best possible scenario and every day I am thinking it is more possible to make these races. Maybe making, depending on the situation, two consecutive events in the same circuit, and then move to another.

“In Europe there is also the possibility to move by car, then it is more possible. The scenario we are looking at right now is to start in July and finish by November.”

While this solution would see races in all classes take place, Ezpeleta admitted that any rounds this year would most likely be held behind closed doors and with a limited number of people in the paddock:

“We consider right now the most possible scenario is without the spectators.

“Unfortunately, we do not think for this season it will be possible (to have races with fans). Unless there is a vaccine or whatever it will be difficult.

“We will consider to do all three categories and even MotoE also and what we are doing is working with IRTA and the teams to consider a maximum number of people in the paddock. We think this will be around 1300 or something like that.

“The most important thing is to make races and show them on television.”