MotoGP manufacturers planning extra pre-season test
KTM MotoGP boss Pit Beirer says that the premier class manufacturers have agreed to hold an extra pre-season test before the coronavirus-delayed 2020 season gets underway.
The current championship has had the first five races of the season struck from the schedule, while it is also expected that May's French and Italian Grands Prix will also be cancelled or postponed due to the worsening COVID-19 situation in Europe.
Even if the season could commence at the following round in Barcelona in early June, it will have meant that riders will have had over three months off since the last test in Qatar.
As a result, Beirer confirms discussions have been had with MotoGP owners Dorna Sports about holding a test at Barcelona - or whatever circuit will eventually host the opening round - either a week or two before the race.
"This has already been planned," Beirer told Motorsport.com when asked about the possibility of holding a test prior to the start of the season.
"This is very important because we cannot put the riders on the bikes and demand the show from them in this situation. It will certainly be a great test, and then we will start again."
Dorna and MotoGP's governing body has been one of motorsport's most proactive organisations during this troubled period, with numerous updated calendars issued with the loss of each of the first four races.
Beirer has branded the communication with Dorna and governing body the FIM "excellent", but admits the constant release of calendars has been "absurd" given the current climate.
"The communication has been excellent," Beirer added. "The president of the FIM [Jorge Viegas] has always been available to me, as well as Dorna.
"There has been a close exchange. It is perfectly natural for each of us to try to carry on with our own programme. But, then I found it annoying that new calendars were sent every day: I find it absurd, because nobody knows when we can start again.
"In the second phase, we agreed that calendars should not be treated in detail, but that we should wait until there is a solution. Then we have to sit at a table together; promoters, organisers and manufacturers.
"Now we have to be realistic. If we think of Italy, where we love running so much - where we like to be guests and where we have a lot of friends - the difficulties they are experiencing right now will somehow also reach us, so there is no need to make a schedule.
"The virus has already shown that it doesn't need a roadmap."
Previous article
Why entertainment isn't Esports greatest virtue right now
Next article
Dorna helping independent MotoGP teams pay wages
About this article
| Series | MotoGP |
| Author | Lewis Duncan |
How Jerez underlined MotoGP's speed problem
The brutal nature of a series of crashes at Jerez has reopened the debate about whether current MotoGP speeds are beyond the safety limits of the tracks. But even if riders are supportive of the move, getting the manufacturers to find a consensus on how speed reductions should be achieved may be altogether harder
How a Crutchlow helped Miller to Jerez MotoGP redemption
Jack Miller’s tough start to life as a factory Ducati MotoGP rider left him mentally battered and bruised, but a pep talk and positive reinforcement from a surprising source aided the Australian to show his full potential with victory at the Spanish Grand Prix
What does Marc Marquez have to do to get back to his best?
Following his resounding MotoGP return with a seventh place finish in Portugal, Marc Marquez now must work to rediscover his best form before turning his attention towards results-based targets
How Yamaha's rookie-spec MotoGP star is taking charge
Fabio Quartararo is on a roll in 2021 after storming to victory at a venue five months earlier served up one of his worst races. Contrasting Portuguese GPs for Yamaha's factory duo make it hard to understand just how good its 2021 MotoGP bike is, but the Portimao weekend did at least expose one key improvement compared to 2020
The hurdles Marquez faces next in his Portugal MotoGP return
Even by Marc Marquez’s own high standards, his MotoGP comeback on Friday at the Portuguese Grand Prix will be considered a success even if he didn’t top the times. But having shown competitive pace on his first day back, both Marquez and his rivals know plenty more challenges are to come...
Where does Espargaro sit ahead of Marquez's return?
Pol Espargaro’s first results as a Honda MotoGP rider may not appear special. But dig a little deeper and a clearer picture of his performance emerges. And, as Lewis Duncan writes, it’s cause for celebration at Honda with the return of Marc Marquez set to provide Espargaro with the reference he has been missing so far this year
The "pit bull" MotoGP rookie already drawing legendary comparisons
MotoGP’s 2021 rookie crop is one of the strongest in recent years, but one is already standing out. Jorge Martin’s Doha GP heroics have courted many to compare him to numerous MotoGP legends. Autosport spoke to Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti to find out why MotoGP’s latest Spanish star is already making such an impact
Why MotoGP's stewards must revisit Miller and Mir's Losail clash
Despite Suzuki’s decision not to appeal against Race Direction’s refusal to penalise Jack Miller following the incident with Joan Mir in Losail, something must be done to avoid a repeat of such an incident, which could have easily ended in tragedy
