The starting line is set and the line was drawn by Carmelo Ezpeleta in August. Formula 1 will be first in line in July with an Austrian Grand Prix announced as the inaugural race of their year. A Red Bull Ring which has taken on the air of a promised land for motor sports since the trip to Styria is precisely planned for the weekend of August 15 for motorcycles. Will they have a sacred path free from the horrors of the coronavirus to get there? This is precisely the question that is driving the debate in a paddock divided into two camps: the optimists and the pessimists. Selected pieces…
Everyone agrees on at least one thing: if no race is contested in 2020, the years that follow will be very complicated. Because the economic and social damage will have been devastating. From there, there are two ways of looking at things: tell yourself that it won't happen. And resolve to prepare for the worst.
There is great concern in the community and it is legitimate. Among the pessimists we find Razlan Razali, the man of Petronas, worried about the validity of contracts already signed in such a turbulent context: “ the possibility of not having a race can happen, so we can't be in denial and not talk about it " did he declare. Since we are in the clan Yamaha , its highest representative Lynn Jarvis could not be more cautious about the sequence of events: “ we depend on the decisions of governments rather than organizers » he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “ Even without an audience, bringing together 1 people from the paddock will be a problem, without thinking about the travel restrictions: if they allow us to go to Zeltweg or Brno, will they take us back to Italy? I have the feeling that there will be no sporting activities before September. »
For their part, the Márquez are of great comfort: no one knows when this will end or if there will be a vaccine or if everyone's health can be guaranteed. It's normal that he doesn't have any races. Let's estimate August or September, more or less. We must continue training to be prepared, because the situation may change in two weeks, and then we will have to be 100% ready. » says Alex. “ It is also difficult to move as many people as we do in the paddock. There are so many factors that can change, such as being confined to one country or moving all together. »
For more optimism, we must go to the Italians: “ I think we will be able to ride in 2020. From August or September the plans are the same. If all goes well ", commented Valentino Rossi. As reported by “Il Corriere dello Sport” the manager ofAndrea Dovizioso what Simone Battistella keep smiling : " I am optimistic for 2020, Dorna wants to organize the championship, with maximum flexibility in terms of number of races. » We stay on this positive note to keep the negative waves away…
Reminder of Carmelo Ezpeleta’s hypotheses :
Hypothesis 1 : we open the season in August and we roll out the planned schedule.
Hypothesis 2 : 10 Grands Prix, 5 in Europe, 5 outside Europe, from September to December 13.
Hypothesis 3 : 10 Grands Prix on one, two or three specific circuits where the paddock would be confined.
Hypothesis 4 : the pure and simple cancellation of the season, which would also have consequences for the years to follow…
