Carmelo Ezpeleta and his Dorna troops are on all fronts. After suffering the first shock of the Covid-19 offensive, the promoter reorganized to stand together and resist the destruction. A backup plan has been put in place to preserve skills and teams. A calendar is being finalized for a 2020 season which will take place against all odds. We are now in the process of developing the delicate health protocol which will be the passport to be presented to be endorsed by the national authorities. A document not so easy to write but which already contains a bold imperative…
Carmelo Ezpeleta has its front line fixed: it is a question of Jerez on July 19, time and place where the competition must resume its rights. A bold deadline in mid-May 2020. The boss of Dorna is well aware of this: “ if we started now, there would have to be around quarantine in Spain. But we will see that at the end of June, that is to say when I think that things can change. » And the man is determined: “ if they did not approve the protocol planned for Jerez on July 19, maybe this would start later and we would back off or run somewhere else and that we would then come to Spain. Our intention is to start on July 19 in Jerez, but we are counting on them to give us the necessary authorizations. »
To be clear, if Jerez poses a problem, it will, at worst, be the Red Bull Ring in August. Now, what about this famous protocol called “ closed doors » ? The details are to come, but we already know what response will be given if, during a meeting, a person in the paddock tests positive for coronavirus. And it's daring: the Grand Prix will not stop.
“Now we are much more prepared”
Carmelo Ezpeleta explain : " now we are much more prepared, like the world in general, than when the Australian F1 Grand Prix, and we also have protocols for what happens if someone tests positive or if they have symptoms or anything else. It will all depend on the scope of the subject and everything else. What we are not saying is that if there is an infection, the Grand Prix stops. »
There is 42 teams in Grand Prix. Whose numbers are very different from those of Formula 1: “ if someone gives us a positive test, we don't have endless replacement staff at our disposal ", Explain Mike leitner, race director at KTM Factory Racing. “ But in the MotoGP category we could of course transfer individual technicians from the test team to the racing team. » At the moment, the teams assume that if one of its members has a positive Covid-19 test, only the sick person should be isolated individually, then people in the closest environment are also subjected to a rapid test. It will be remembered that the season will take place with a reduced paddock. A MotoGP factory team will be able to bring 40 members in the paddock during the races which will be behind closed doors, a customer team 25. The total number of staff traveling from country to country should be around 1 people. And the races will be held behind closed doors.
