“21, today 21.” Carmelo Ezpeleta smiles when asked what is the minimum number of races he expects MotoGP to have this year, hinting at the entire calendar. The pandemic seems to be coming to an end or, at least, we have learned to live with it. After two really difficult years for everyone, this could be the season for a return to normality, with more open paddocks and “full” calendars.
Next week in Qatar, the post- Valentino Rossi era of the World Championship will begin, but even without the “Doctor” there is no lack of content. A few days before the start of the course, the CEO of Dorna Sports met with Motorsport.com in Milan, addressing the most burning issues of the moment.
A season begins that seems to be a return to normality: finally there is a complete schedule and the tests have been done in Asia. What are your expectations?
“Obviously we hope that nothing happens that makes us take another step back. The truth, however, is that we are now better prepared than before in the event of a new wave of infections. Our hope, however, is that we can have a normal season.”
In this sense, there was a good opening signal with the abolition of the bubble for the first race of the year in Qatar. Is the goal to get this back to normal?
“I think we will still need the bubble for Indonesia and, if things don’t change in the next month, also in Argentina and the United States. In Europe, things are going well at the moment, so there would be no reason to have a bubble. However, the first race in Europe will be at the end of April, in Portimao, so there is still plenty of time. Let’s wait and see how the situation evolves.”
Djokovic’s case raised the issue of unvaccinated people entering Australia. We know that most people in the MotoGP paddock are already vaccinated, but is there a chance that a vaccination requirement will be imposed?
“No, I don’t think the vaccine is required to enter the paddock. The vaccine is mandatory to enter Australia (smiles), we cannot impose anything. I speak very often with Stefano Domenicali, the CEO of Formula 1. They will go to Australia shortly and it seems that everything is normal, but it is clear that the need for a vaccine or a quarantine to have access to the country, as we have seen in the case of Djokovic, it is something that comes from a higher level, from the State. Apart from the specific case of Australia, to enter the MotoGP paddock, a negative PCR result is enough.
Did you expect the complicated situation of the Mandalika Circuit, with a lot of dirt and with the asphalt deteriorated in some points? Apparently there was no major problem with Superbike in November…
“This has shown that the power of MotoGP is also capable of breaking the asphalt if it is not done well. Obviously there was an error in the design of the asphalt in some sections of the circuit, but we are trying to solve the situation, because that section will be resurfaced before the race on March 20. We did everything in our power. Of course, we know that making a new tarmac just a few weeks before the race is not the best solution in the world, but we also discussed it with the drivers and decided that it was better to resurface than race in those conditions. We spoke with the highest authorities in Indonesia, who assured us that it will be treated as a matter of state and that they will commit to doing everything in the best possible way.”
Valentino Rossi, Petronas Yamaha SRT, Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO Dorna Sports
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
With this feeling of normalcy, one can almost speak of a year zero for MotoGP. And it will be a little bit in every way, because Valentino Rossi will no longer be there.
“Valentino has done a lot for MotoGP, but every athlete has a moment when he has to retire. He has been with us for a long time and that is something for which I am very grateful. He will continue to be present in the paddock through his team. Unfortunately, we already knew that he couldn’t run forever. I will personally miss him a lot, but life in the paddock has to go on”.
Do you expect to still see a lot of yellow in the stands?
“I think so, because his fans have always come to the races that Valentino had to miss when he was injured. Valentino brought many fans to MotoGP who had never seen it before and perhaps didn’t even know what it was. But I think he also left a great legacy, so I’m convinced that his fans will continue to watch the races, perhaps cheering on his students, Pecco and Franco, or his brother Luca”.
One tool that could broaden the audience of MotoGP viewers is the “MotoGP Unlimited” documentary series, coming to Amazon Prime Video in March. The experiment that Formula 1 already did with “Drive to Survive” was very positive.
“It is one more thing, but it is not the only one. But it is clear that this is the kind of thing that we have to do to try to attract a new audience to MotoGP, but we cannot stop there.
The curious thing about “Drive to Survive” is that it has made real stars of characters that were previously only known among insiders, such as the director of the Haas team, Gunther Steiner. Is there any MotoGP character that you think could turn heads in the same way?
“I really do not know. What interests me above all is that things are done well, but I prefer not to make predictions. It will happen? It’s not going to happen? We’ll see”.
Going back a bit to the void left by Valentino, right now we have a generation of very talented young people. But perhaps he lacks a bit of that nose and that ability to “go through the screen” that Rossi had. In your opinion, what has changed in recent years? Maybe they start to be professionals too soon?
“Each one is made in their own way, you can’t force a person to be nicer or not. But I think what made Valentino great was above all what he stood for as a driver, not being nice. It is much easier to be likeable than to be a champion. If I can give any advice to the riders who are in MotoGP today and those who will arrive in the future, it is to imitate Valentino, but in terms of performance, not because of his media skills”.
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team, Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO Dorna Sports
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
During the winter the fear of losing Marc Márquez due to that problem of diplopia (double vision) that tormented him for several months was also evident. Would it have been a big blow for MotoGP?
“Losing the most successful drivers of the last 20 years obviously would not have been good for the championship. In Valentino’s case it was a matter of age, while in Marc’s case it was due to injury. In any case, we are talking about situations in which we would not have had room for maneuver to resolve them, we could only try to react in the best possible way. Fortunately, however, Marc has solved his problems and he will be there.”
This year there will be a somewhat unusual situation on the grid: of the 24 bikes present, eight will be Ducati. Some pilots said they were a bit worried about this, how is Dorna dealing with it?
“I don’t hide that we would have liked to have had six brands with four bikes each. However, this is not the most important thing. It is more important that all the independent teams are happy and that they are in a situation that allows them to get ahead. The truth is that, due to the situation, last year Honda, Yamaha and KTM were not able to present six motorcycles (by 2022), while Ducati already had six awarded. A team remained to be decided, which could decide whether to trust Aprilia or link up with Ducati. With all the power that having a place on the MotoGP grid gives, he chose to go with Ducati. I may or may not agree, but you were free to choose the option you felt was best for your needs. But it is not the first time that a manufacturer has eight bikes on the grid.
Weren’t you surprised that Aprilia failed to attract any satellite teams despite the great growth it has shown in the last year and a half?
“A little yes, also because the offer that Aprilia had made was very good. But choosing the bike with which to compete in MotoGP is part of the rights of the teams.”
Things, at the moment, seem very balanced: four brands have won at least one GP in 2021 and the other two have been on the podium. The level is really high not only when it comes to the riders, but also the bikes.
“We must not forget to thank Honda and Yamaha, who, when they won everything, agreed to start the concession system. The first to exploit them was Ducati and I still remember when they lost them, then it was the turn of Suzuki and KTM. All the bikes that are now capable of aiming for victory. I hope that Aprilia will also lose the concessions this year, that would be fantastic, because it would mean that all our manufacturers are in the same conditions. But we must not forget the generosity of Honda and Yamaha, who gave up the advantage they had built up to allow the other manufacturers to be more competitive. Clearly, the decision to have a single tire supplier and a single switchboard was also a success.”
This week Ducati announced the renewal of Pecco Bagnaia until 2024. Although few riders already have a contract for 2023, the most interesting situations seem to be those related to the last two world champions, Fabio Quartararo and Joan Mir. Do you think they will look for a new adventure or stay where they are?
“I never make predictions, whether we’re talking about who’s going to win or whether we’re talking about the future of the riders. It is a situation similar to that of the eight Ducati: I can give advice, and I do so when asked, but then the decisions have to be made by those directly involved. It is very risky to tell someone what to do, because if it goes wrong then you are responsible”.
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO Dorna Sports
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Unfortunately, in 2021 we had to deal with several tragedies that occurred in the lower categories. It has already intervened by raising the minimum age to enter the World Cup to 18 years. Do you think it could be something decisive or are there other precautions under consideration?
“We don’t have to stop at just this. As I always say, many things have to be done, all those that can allow us to improve in terms of security. We are working to find electronic devices with light indications to be used in the event of a fall. But we also talk a lot with the FIM about sanctions, with the aim of punishing more severely maneuvers that we don’t like. They may not understand the first penalty, but maybe the driver’s focus can change on the second or third penalty. Motorcycling can never be 100% safe, because the risk variable is always there, but we believe this is the right direction to work.”
A dynamic such as the one that caused the death of Jason Dupasquier (the pilot stays in the middle of the track and was run over by those who were chasing him), in fact, it is very difficult to avoid completely.
“It’s true, but I like to think that a ‘light indication’ that comes just half a second earlier can help prevent it from happening again in the future. But even the work we’re doing with track limits, for example, can have value. in this sense, leading everyone to drive in a more ‘normal’ way and limiting the risks”.
When the debate on safety began, some riders, notably Bagnaia, had said that for MotoGP too it might make sense to introduce a super license like in Formula 1, which would give access to the premier class only after having achieved certain results. What do you think?
“Personally, I agree, but it is an issue that we must discuss in the Grand Prix Commission, where Dorna, FIM, MSMA and IRTA are present. Finding the right parameters to be able to obtain it, I think that the super license is also a necessity for MotoGP.”
During the tests, Andrea Dovizioso underlined the importance of the Safety Commission, but also said that with all the drivers going it has become more complicated to make decisions. What do you think?
“I prefer to see as many drivers as possible at the Safety Commission meetings. I respect Andrea a lot and I agree that it can also be more difficult to find a compromise that suits the majority, but I think it is better that all the drivers on the grid participate.
