Once the cancellation of the Sepang tests was validated and imposed by the resumption of Covid-19 infections in Malaysia, the question was whether MotoGP would still return in February, but elsewhere. Only Jerez or Portimao remained as options. But there will be no plan B in Europe. MotoGP will only resume contact with the track before the Qatar Grand Prix in March, with some adjustments...
We will therefore have to resolve to wait another month before seeing any MotoGP on the track. In fact, what was planned in February in Malaysia will not take place, nor Sepang, nor elsewhere in its entirety. The coronavirus continues to poison an economic situation that is all the more tense as freight has already left for Asia. It was difficult to see how it could be rerouted to Europe for tests at Jerez ou Portimao ...
Dorna, IRTA and the MSMA manufacturers association will therefore propose for validation of the teams that the reunion will wait until March and Qatar. With approval from stakeholders, cargo boxes will now be sent from Malaysia directly to Doha by air or sea.
The technical freeze decided until the end of 2021 is ultimately an opportunity to validate the idea that three days of testing should be enough for seasoned drivers before embarking on the 2021 season on the same Losail track, which will then be allocated to the Grand Qatar Price. We will then be in the second part of March.
For the three rookies that are George Martin, Enea Bastianini et Luca marini, all on Ducati, three more days on the track in the middle of the desert will be granted during a shakedown initially planned in Sepang, so that they can get their bearings. We have already given you an idea of the possible date. A situation which must certainly frustrate a Razlan Razali who was happy to introduce his new recruit Valentino Rossi under the Petronas colors in front of his Malaysian compatriots…
