Carmelo Ezpeleta gives his view on the 2020 MotoGP season
After the most disjointed start to a racing season in modern times, MotoGP ringmaster Carmelo Ezpeleta gives his insight into how 2020 could play out
IF the Queen were to give her view of the 2020 MotoGP season, she’d probably describe it as annus horribilis, literally translated to horrible year.
And it’s a fairly appropriate statement, as the MotoGP, BSB, WSBK, and the TT have all been seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. And that’s not to mention international off-road racing and vital grassroots club racing, here and abroad.
But the industry and some global governments are starting to point to a glimmer of light at the end of what seems to have been a very long tunnel. As restrictions on gatherings and travel are beginning to ease in some areas, the plans to get back to some kind of normality are beginning to take shape. And racing is no different.
In an interview with MotoGP.com, Carmelo Ezpeleta gives his view on the 2020 season and how it could play out - here's a summary.
When will the MotoGP calendar be announced?
MotoGP is set to publish the dates and venues for the European rounds of the 2020 MotoGP season next week. It’s proposed that the new season will run from mid-July (starting at Jerez) until the start of November.
Will we see MotoGP races outside Europe in 2020?
As it stands there are four races outside Europe that have not been cancelled, Thailand, Malaysia, Americas and Argentina. Ezpeleta confirms that they will ‘search for approval’ of each round and that Dorna has a deadline of the end of July to tell everybody if they can pursue with them or stop.
How long will the 2020 MotoGP season be?
It’s tough to say as it depends on so many factors that are out of Dorna and MotoGP’s control. What he does confirm though is that after the first two rounds are complete, they can then make a decision on whether the season is 12, 14 of even the maximum 16 rounds.
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
