MotoGP's plan to be able to do 18 races in 2021

After recomposing an exceptional calendar last season concentrated on nine circuits in Europe, MotoGP confirmed a program with 19 grand prix for 2021, similar to that before the pandemic beyond the double opening appointment in Qatar due to the postponement (no date ) of the American tour.

However, it is difficult to guess how the world situation will be in the last quarter of the year and if the championship will be able to embark on a journey that will take it halfway around the world to visit Japan, Australia, Malaysia and Thailand .

From Dorna they trust that at least the European season can be carried out normally, with which 15 grand prizes would be reached, and depending on the health status in Asia, Australia and America, the incorporation of the United States and Argentina will be considered.

“What will happen in October we won’t be able to know until the beginning of the summer, around July”, explains Carmelo Ezpeleta in an interview with GPOne.com . “If at some point we can’t do a grand prix, we will be the first to know and communicate it. I think we will do all the races in Europe, like last year.”

“Our intention is to do at least 18 races, with the European ones we will reach 14, so there are 4 left: Japan, Australia, Malaysia and Thailand. If it is not possible to race in any of them, Argentina and Texas want and the Indonesian GP He’s in reserve. So I’m thinking of an 18-race calendar.”

Something that is going to help develop the season normally is the fact that most of the paddock was able to get vaccinated in Qatar. However, the security protocol will be maintained for the time being.

“I don’t know exactly how many we have targeted, but they have told me almost everyone. With the utmost respect for those who have not wanted to do it, I think it is very important that there be a large number of people vaccinated, because statistically that prevents contracting the illness and what happened to Fausto Gresini”.

“I’m sure it’s a positive thing and nobody will have any contraindications, beyond a little fever for a day. I did it myself and I had no reaction. But I don’t think vaccination will allow us to change the protocol until the authorities decide it. It is an internal initiative that I am very grateful to Qatar, because the paddock will be protected throughout the season. After last season we thought that things would go better, but we still cannot get out of there. I am confident that in the coming months vaccines help us, for now we will continue with the same protocol as last year,” he says.

What Ezpeleta is still cautious about is the return of the public and the rest of the staff to the circuits.

“The most important thing that is missing for me is the spectators, but also the journalists. The journalists are an example, I would like to have spectators and press moving around the paddock again, but you have to understand that it is not possible. At first people thought that it was our decision, but we must accept the decisions of the host countries. Everyone has understood that they are in a special situation with different conditions. For example, in Qatar the government closed the swimming pools after a few days and we have to accept it. Our goal common is to run”, ditch.