Dorna boss, Carmelo Ezpeleta, responds point by point to the criticisms of the new MotoGP calendar.
The MotoGP 2023 calendar for the first time it will consist of 21 Grands Prix, an authentic tour de force for teams and riders, who have shown a certain amount of opposition on many occasions. It will put a strain not only on the logistics of the MotoGP teams, but will also cause physical and psychological stress for all the participants, especially at certain times of the year.
Dorna’s CEO, Carmelo Ezpeleta, he wanted to respond to criticism, as usual. In particular on the seven events that will take place between Asia, Australia and the Middle East between 24 September and 19 November, with only two free weekends in two months. No one wants to stay away from their families for two months, given that it would be economically and psychologically unprofitable to return home for a few days and then set off again towards the East. It will also be complicated for European fans who will have to get up early in the morning to follow the races live.
MotoGP calendar and crosses with Formula 1
To many it seems absurd to stop in Kazakhstan, but boss Ezpeleta has a rationale for that too. “No other organizers have agreed on a July date – he explains to Speedweek.com -. If we had done without the Sokol Circuit, there would have been a five-week summer break like in 2022 when the Finnish GP was cancelled. We cannot afford to be absent from motorsport for so long“.
Furthermore, the Dorna boss makes it clear that due to the pandemic they have had to give up a lot of financial income and that “we lose money at races in Europe. We have to make that clear to the teams and the plants“. In May, on the other hand, there will be three weekends without races, how do you explain it? This year the Mugello GP it was held on the same weekend as the Formula 1 GP in Montecarlo, so”the organizers no longer want a coincidence of dates… Unfortunately there are three F1 races in a row in May. So we had to move the Mugello GP to the first weekend in June and the Catalunya GP to September“.
There will soon be 24 GPs on the F1 calendar and it will be even more difficult to find free weekends for the World Championship, avoiding crossing dates and times. Not to mention that interest in MotoGP is growing and other countries are also asking for a Grand Prix, such as Saudi Arabia. In recent months there has been talk of a possible cancellation of the Italian GP, but at the moment Carmelo Ezpeleta excludes it: “We have to be respectful of the many teams and riders at the Italian GP. Furthermore, with Ducati and Aprilia, we have two Italian MotoGP plants in the field that will equip twelve of the 22 riders in 2023“.
