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Hervé Poncharal announced yesterday in the SPEEDWEEK.com interview that he expects the MotoGP season to start in August according to the latest developments. Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta (73) even announced a return to the slopes in late July. Until then, there are still a number of obstacles to overcome that have been addressed by various government measures.
These are travel restrictions, distance rules, quarantine regulations, hygiene regulations, use of face masks, prohibition of meetings, recommendations not to practice risk sports, the provisional prohibition of important events and other regulations aimed at preventing a second wave of infection.
In Formula 1, these regulations must be followed by constantly performing Covid-19 blood tests on all team members. Dorna Sports S.L. He wants to emulate this strategy to a great extent, but in the MotoGP World Championship there are not 20 riders and ten teams like in Formula 1, but 42 teams in three classes and 85 riders, making the fields more crowded.
For comparison: there are 34 boxes with a size of 119 square meters each in Spielberg. Therefore, each team can be assigned three boxes. Five to six mechanics work in the cars, the rest of the technicians are distributed. In GP motorcycling sport, MotoGP teams in Austria each receive a box for typically 25 team members. In small classes, up to three teams are squeezed into one box, and a large tent is set up for around ten small GP teams.
Now it has to be recalculated to reduce the risk of infection. This year, more equipment will likely be moved from the boxes to the store due to distance rules.
The teams complain about small boxes, especially at outdated racetracks like Phillip Island, also at Le Mans, Misano, Valencia and Silverstone.
The Red Bull Ring, which opened in 2011, has spacious boxes, such as MotorLand Aragón, where a Grand Prix was held in 2010 for Sepang and Las Termas.
Poncharal: “A delicate subject”
There are still no precise plans for the new paddock order and the other GP normal, because the “closed door protocol” is still being developed, for which Geoff Dixon, Paddock Manager at IRTA, is responsible.
“We are still thinking and planning, but it is clear that we need a concept where we can follow all measures and regulations, including distance rules,” said French Red Bull KTM Tech3 team owner and IRTA president Hervé. Poncharal «We want team members not to have to work too closely together, we want to give them a certain distance. Therefore, the paddock in 2020 might look a little different, especially since we are not allowed to let guests and the media in. We all have the clear intention together: we must not reinfect a single person.
Hervé Poncharal has been in business long enough to know that the global shutdown will cause the world economy to go through serious trouble. Economic performance could weaken from plus 3 percent to minus 7 percent even in the strongest European countries if consumption does not rekindle soon.
However, the Red Bull KTM-Tech3 team owner shows a full understanding of draconian house arrests and exit restrictions in affected countries.
Poncharal: “There are now more and more voices saying that the economic damage caused by Covid 19 disease will be greater than the damage to health. Because in France we have been under house arrest for 45 days, twelve more will follow, so we will be locked up for almost 60 days. The situation is similar in Italy and Spain. In France, more than 24,000 people have already died from the pandemic. If your father, brother, mother, or other close relative is affected, then you understand: “Blocking really makes sense.” If you are not directly affected, it is easier for you to discuss the financial harm. It is a very sensitive issue.
Yesterday, the GP events at Sachsenring, Assen and KymiRing were canceled for the 2020 season without replacement. In Qatar, only the MotoGP class was not held on March 8.
The appearance of the calendar in late July or early August changes from day to day. Therefore, no new dates will be published at this time. This is a lesson from last March when, for example, the Valencia GP obtained three different dates in 24 hours: November 15, 22 and 29.
So far, it is certain that the start of the season will take place in Europe. Spielberg and Brno could each start with two Grand Prixes on two consecutive weekends, for example, on July 26 and August 2 in Spielberg, then on August 9 and 16 in Brno. So far, there is no majority For the intention of driving in the same place on Sundays and Wednesdays and then planning a free weekend.
So far, the promoter of the Spielberg GP has always tried to make an appointment around the August 15 holiday, because then visitors could possibly save a day off. But now you shouldn’t pay attention to race attendees.
It is also necessary to clarify in June or July if it will be possible to drive in Misano and Mugello in September and later in Spain (Jerez, Barcelona, Aragón, Valencia are under debate). In Spain, races can be expected until October or mid-November due to the weather. Individual racetrack operators in Italy and Spain have already expressed their interests, including ghost racing, including Misano.
Then the individual Grand Prix in hot countries like Thailand or Malaysia could continue in November or December if there is no second wave and air traffic resumes. Even Qatar could be a problem again.
No spectator will be admitted to GP events this season. “But we can still get ten Grand Prix races,” says Poncharal. «I was a little skeptical a month ago. I have much more confidence today. However, that does not mean that we are also successful in these ten races.
“We have had some very violent blows in the past few weeks,” Poncharal sums up in an interview with SPEEDWEEK.com. “Then you hang around the corner like a battered boxer. But the moment you digest these blows, confidence grows. Positive thinking returns. Meanwhile, some facts have been put on the table: we should not let any spectators in, we have to develop a ‘closed door protocol’, we see that Austria has worked exceptionally well to combat viruses, the situation there seems very promising, the measures have been gradually loosened since Easter. We know that Red Bull and KTM are two highly respected companies in Austria, which are positive signs. So we have a lot of hope. We also know that Carmelo Ezpeleta and his staff work tirelessly to allow the restart. Sure, Formula 1 is number 1 in motorsport. There may be a little more influence on the game. So it’s not that bad if colleagues get back on track a few weeks before we do. ”
The current 2020 motorcycle GP calendar
March 8: Doha / Q (without MotoGP)
09. August: Brno / CZ
August 16: Red Bull Ring / A
30 August: Silverstone / GB
September 13: Misano / I
September 27: Aragon / E
October 4: Buriram / TH
October 18: Motegi / J
October 25: Phillip Island / AUS
November 1: Sepang / MAL
November 15: Texas / United States
November 22: Las Termas / AR
November 29: Valencia / E
No new date: Jerez / E, Le Mans / F, Mugello / I and Barcelona / E
Canceled: Sachsenring / D, Assen / NL and KymiRing / FIN
