James Warren
WORLD Superbike and MotoGP owner Dorna Sports is pushing to have Andalucia host two of the most popular racing championships in the world this summer.
In an open video call between Carmelo Ezpeleta, Dorna CEO and Manuel Casado, President of the Royal Spanish Motorcycling Federation (RFME), the two governing bodies revealed they are aiming for both seasons to begin in July at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit.
According to the President of the National Sports Council of Spain (CSD) Irene Lozano, both organisations are working closely with the Spanish government to allow a return to racing at the end of July.
“The government understands how important motorcycle racing is for Spanish sport, how much value it holds in our society and the impact it has on the reputation of our country, not only on the sporting side, but also regarding innovation of new technologies,” said Lozano.
The restart of both seasons are subject to the terms of the de-escalation process in the Cadiz province, and both Dorna and RFME have been in constant contact with the CSD throughout the pandemic.
Before any tyres can touch tarmac, the circuit must undergo certain preparations and adhere to strict guidelines dictated by both the government and the Working Group for the Promotion of Sport (GTID), a collective that both Dorna and RFME are members of.
The World Superbike championship has pencilled in a date of July 31 – August 2 for their opening round and talks are underway to hold the MotoGP round the the weekend before.
Mayor of Jerez, Mamen Sanchez, told local news outlet Diario de Jerez: “It is a good offer that we cannot reject.
“It is very tempting since it would mean the presence of numerous people in the city for three weeks, with the consequent benefit for the hospitality sector.”
Figures estimate that in just the MotoGP event alone, the region earns nearly €34 million in revenue.
Talks with Ezpeleta were also underway to hold the races ‘behind closed doors’ however the Dorna boss dismissed the idea.
However it is likely that the paddock area will be limited to minimal personnel, press and team members and strict protocol will be introduced for spectators including social distancing and the use of masks.
Both Championship have seen their seasons derailed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, with both only able to hold one race a piece so far in 2020.
The WorldSBK Championship kicked off in February at Philip Island in Australia and the MotoGP World Championship held a single round in Qatar for the Moto2 and Moto3 support classes before racing stopped.
