MotoGP News: Jerez secures deal to host two races in July
MotoGP promoters Dorna Sports and Jerez have agreed a proposal to host the first two 2020 rounds in July to be sent to the Spanish Government for approval
The outbreak of COVID-19 has forced the opening 11 rounds of the season to be scrubbed from their original slot, with the Qatar, Dutch, German and Finnish Grands Prix cancelled outright for this year.
Dorna has been working towards setting a 10-12-race revised calendar centred in Europe, with it initially aiming to get the campaign going at the start of August with the Czech and Austrian Grands Prix.
However, following a virtual meeting on Thursday, Dorna has agreed a two-race deal with Spanish GP venue Jerez - which was due to stage its round last weekend - to begin the season on 19 July with the Spanish Grand Prix, and the Grand Prix of Andalusia on 26 July.
Should the Spanish Government approve the proposal, it will then need to be signed off by MotoGP's governing body the FIM.
"In the morning of today (Thursday) the Andalusian Government, through the Ministry of Tourism, the Jerez City Council and the Dorna company, have reached an agreement to hold two rounds of the MotoGP World Championship in the Jerez Circuit, on 19 and 26 July", explained the vice president of the Andalusian Government, Juan Marín.
"From this moment on, we have to transfer, both to the government of Spain and, through the Dorna company, to the International Federation (FIM), the request to carry out all the actions and requirements necessary to guarantee security and greet all the participants and teams that will be in Andalusia this summer.
"I think it is magnificent news and we want to thank the City Council because we know the effort that is made in the organisation of these events, as well as Dorna for relying on the Jerez Circuit again."
Last month, doubt was cast on their being any races in Spain this year after the country's government mooted the possibility of a ban on tourism until next year.
Dorna has outlined a reduced paddock size of around 1600 personnel to cover all MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 teams, as well as Dorna's on television crew.
It is also looking to buy 10,000 COVID-19 test kits to regularly monitor paddock personnel.
Jerez is also due to host the second round of the 2020 World Superbike Championship on 2 August.
MotoGP News: Lorenzo "convinced" of banned Iannone's innocence
Watch: A stark reminder of a mercifully long-gone era in MotoGP history
2022 MotoGP title fight now “very tight”, says Aleix Espargaro
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro believes the current MotoGP championship picture following the British Grand Prix has set up “a very, very tight” title battle.
Pol Espargaro doesn’t think Honda is reacting to MotoGP woes
Pol Espargaro isn’t sure the problems Honda is facing at races in MotoGP this season are being relayed back to Japan as “we’re not getting the material we need”.
Marc Marquez to return to MotoGP paddock at Austrian GP for Honda progress update
Marc Marquez will return to the MotoGP paddock at the Austrian Grand Prix to check up on Honda’s progress as he continues his own rehabilitation.
Rins “destroyed” after “not normal” grip issues end Silverstone MotoGP win hopes
Suzuki’s Alex Rins says he was “destroyed” after a “not normal” drop in grip shuffled him from the lead of the MotoGP British Grand Prix to seventh by the end.
The signs Quartararo’s 2022 MotoGP title is slipping away from him
Prior to the summer break, the 2022 MotoGP title looked like it was Fabio Quartararo’s to lose. But a crash at Assen and the consequential penalty he had to serve last weekend at Silverstone stopped him from capitalising on a main rival’s injury woes, while a resurgence from another, plus the rise of a former team-mate, look set to conspire against the Yamaha rider
Why Marquez’s toughest MotoGP foe is stopping at the right time
On the eve of the British Grand Prix, Andrea Dovizioso announced that he will be retiring from MotoGP after September’s San Marino GP. The timing of his departure raised eyebrows, but his reasoning remains sensible and what has happened this year should not diminish a hard-built legacy
Why a Suzuki refugee feels he deserves MotoGP's toughest challenge
Alex Rins’ MotoGP future was plunged into sudden doubt when Suzuki elected to quit the series at the end of 2022. Securing a deal with Honda to join LCR, he will now tread a path that many have fallen off from. But it was a move he felt his status deserved, and it’s a challenge – he tells Autosport - he faces with his eyes wide open…
How Formula 1 has driven MotoGP's changing nature
The hiring of technicians from Formula 1 has clearly contributed to a recent change in the MotoGP landscape, with the role of engineers gaining greater significance relative to the riders. Here's how this shift has come about
The revolution behind Aprilia's rise from MotoGP tail-ender to pack-leader
Coinciding with the arrival of Massimo Rivola as head of its MotoGP division, Aprilia has undergone an internal revolution that has spurred it from occupying last place in the team standings to leading the table in the space of just two years. Those entrenched in the project reveal how the ex-Ferrari F1 chief has achieved the dramatic turnaround
The battle Yamaha's wayward son is fighting to be fast again in MotoGP
Franco Morbidelli was long overdue a promotion to factory machinery when it finally came late last year, having finished runner-up in the 2020 standings on an old Yamaha package. But since then the Italian has been a shadow of his former self as he toils to adapt to the 2022 M1, and recognises that he needs to change his style to be quick on it
Why Honda and Yamaha have been left behind in MotoGP's new era
The once all-conquering Japanese manufacturers are going through a difficult period in MotoGP this season. With Suzuki quitting, Honda struggling to get near the podium and Yamaha only enjoying success courtesy of Fabio Quartararo, Japanese manufacturers have been left in the dust by their European counterparts. Key paddock figures explain why.
Who is Valentino Rossi’s newest MotoGP star?
Valentino Rossi’s protégés stole the show at Assen as Francesco Bagnaia stormed to victory to arrest a recent barren run. But it was the rider in second, on Bagnaia’s old bike, who had all eyes on him. Securing his and the VR46 team’s first MotoGP podium, Marco Bezzecchi has all the characteristics that made his mentor special