Motorsport

Dorna Sports CEO: Remaining MotoGP races to continue as usual

Michelle Liew

March 13, 2020

Dorna Sports CEO, Carmelo Ezpeleta, maintains that no further changes will be made to the calendar as of now.

Valentino Rossi | Photo credits: MotoGP

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has been garnering serious attention from everyone, including authorities in the sports arena. Recent news has announced the suspension of the NBA, to much dismay of avid basketball fans. The Australian Grand Prix has also been cancelled for Formula One. As for MotoGP, there has been a series of reshuffle in relation to the calendar. Nevertheless, according to Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, he remains optimistic that the 2020 season will be underway despite the difficulties.

“Since the coronavirus problem began, we’ve been following the instructions of each government, we have been in close contact with the promoters in Austin and Argentina and when the authorities said it wasn’t possible to do it now, we talked to other Grands Prix to try and accommodate… and we were able to. Now the calendar is ok if everything continues as it is,” says Ezpeleta in and interview with MotoGP.

Franco Morbidelli

It appears that apart from the Qatar Grand Prix, the season will continue to take place with the 19 Grands Prix. “As I said in the press conference in Qatar, our idea is to continue the Championship with all the races. That’s our aim. But if something is unpredictable. We are following the situations with each government and especially the promoters. We’re in close contact with the FIM, IRTA, the teams, and of course with the promoters. Certainly, we’re trying to accommodate everything at the moment, in close contact with them.”

With the supposed season opener at the Losail International Circuit stripped off for MotoGP, the season will officially commence in Jerez, Spain.

“We are talking with the authorities in Jerez and today everything seems ok; there’s no problem. But we’ll see exactly what the situation is in the near future.”

As the outbreak of the coronavirus seems to affect more people day-by-day, many authorities have opt to conduct matches or games indoors, such as in football. However, Ezpeleta maintains that the situation will depend on the seriousness of the local authorities.

In spite of the pandemic, Ezpeleta tells MotoGP fans to expect a great season throughout.

“We are expecting a fantastic MotoGP season. We think the season will be amazing. Also, we’re waiting to start as soon as possible. It’s a bit delayed from normal but if we can start on the schedule we have now, it really will be an exciting season.”