Exclusive Q & A with FIM's Claude Danis

Claude Danis - FIM safety director: The situation now is, I have been over there many times, and we discuss a lot of things, a lot of solutions because it is not easy. Finally we find a good solution on my last visit on February 6.

It was a joint inspection with (Formula One race director) Charlie Whiting, because we will be using the Formula One track, but in the opposite direction than F1 because the last turn is very dangerous, and we could not find a solution. But being turn one (for MotoGP) it will be possible to have a safe situation.

Q. Will the new turn one for MotoGP be the same layout as the f1 track, or will you cut in and turn left earlier.?

CD: Yes, we turn left earlier, then we turn right, then again right, then a big left, similar to turn two in Malaysia. Then we rejoin part of the oval, then we leave it to join the Formula One track.

The idea was for us and Formula One to do the same track, but the circuit people said that they prefer to have different directions, which is fine. Then became the problem of the kerbs and the openings of course, and we found a solution together with Charlie, so now we are waiting for (MotoGP organisers) Dorna to say ok, green light.

Q. When will they start building the MotoGP track?

CD: The next step, if it is confirmed by Dorna, is for me to go during the Indy 500 because the track will be in live conditions, and I am free at that time, then on the Saturday there is nothing on the track, and I can look more precise at everything.

I think that they will start to build probably in November, but it is not easy because they have to set the track up for the Indy 500, NASCAR, Formula One and MotoGP.

Q. Have you dealt with (Indianapolis owner) Tony George at all?

CD: I just met Tony to say hello on Feb 6 when I went with Charlie. It was very funny because I arrived on the fifth in the evening, and it was minus 16 degrees. It was just after Indianapolis won the Superbowl, so they closed the street where my hotel was, so I had to walk.

The next day at the inspection it was snowing, but we didn't spend much time on the track because Charlie knows it very well, and I had been a few times before already.

Q. Do you think it will be an easy circuit to homologate, will the process be easy compared to some other MotoGP circuits?

CD: I think it will be easy because this circuit is very professional, so I think we can trust them. If they say 'ok we know what we have to do' we know that they will do it. But it was very hard to find the solution as it is with any track we have to work with.

Q. How long will the circuit be?

CD: This is a big question, because even if you ask me the length of another circuit like Sepang I can never remember them. It will be very similar to the length of Formula One.

Q. So it will go on the back straight?

CD: Yes, it will go on the back straight of the Formula One track. But with some small modification, and Formula one will also use this modification. We will change the layout of one or two turns.

It will be big to have Indianapolis on the calendar, I think they are close to the deal.

Q. Any other circuits in the pipeline, is anyone talking to you?

CD: Sao Paulo, Interlagos. They are pushing, pushing pushing a lot. But also to find a safe solution we must go the opposite way to Formula One.

Q. The last corner in Formula One could be a problem?

CD: The last two corners. They have a lot of work to do, and it is up to them