Interview: Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta

Thursday, 12 March 2020

Following the recent updates to the 2020 MotoGP™ calendar, Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta sat down for an interview on the changes and how the sport is reacting to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Despite the recent difficulties faced by much of the sporting world, the message to the MotoGP™ community remains an optimistic one as work continues round the clock to get our tantalising 2020 season underway.

Why have the Grands Prix been postponed?

“Since the coronavirus problem began, we’ve been following the instructions of each government, we have been in close contact with the promoters in Austin and Argentina and when the authorities said it wasn’t possible to do it now, we talked to other Grands Prix to try and accommodate… and we were able to. Now the calendar is ok, if everything continues as it is.”

Is the aim to continue with the 19 GPs that remain in the 2019 season?

“As I said in the press conference in Qatar, our idea is to continue the Championship with all the races, that’s our aim. But if something is unpredictable… we’re following the situations with each government and especially the promoters. We’re in close contact with the FIM, IRTA, the teams, and of course with the promoters. We’re trying to accommodate everything in the moment, in close contact with them.”

As it stands, will the Spanish GP at Jerez be the first MotoGP™ class round of the season?

“We are talking with the authorities in Jerez and today everything seems ok; there’s no problem. But we’ll see exactly what the situation is in the near future.”

Would you consider having the first MotoGP™ class Grand Prix behind closed doors?

“As I said, we are trying to do everything as normally as we can but if the conditions of the local authorities are to race without spectators, we can consider it, along with the local promoter.”

Have you been in contact with the teams?

“We have been in contact with the FIM, IRTA, with the teams and organisers, and all together we are taking the necessary measures.”

Have you got a message for MotoGP™ fans?

“We are expecting a fantastic MotoGP season, We think the season will be amazing, and we’re waiting to start it as soon as possible. It’s a bit delayed from normal but if we can start on the schedule we have now, it really will be an exciting season.”