Revised 2010 Provisional MotoGP Calender Released - Le Mans, Silverstone, Mugello, Brno And Misano Moved

The FIM today released the revised version of the 2010 MotoGP calendar, which sees a total of five races shifted about. Le Mans and Mugello shift up a week, while the British Grand Prix at Silverstone is pushed back two weeks to June 20th. Brno and San Marino are both moved closer to the Indianapolis Grand Prix, making for three races on three consecutive weekends.

This immediately highlights the problem with the new schedule: There are a number of tough travel weeks, which will take their toll of riders and teams. The teams will have to fly directly from Motegi halfway round the world to Jerez, the mitigating factor here being that the time shift involved is the easiest one in terms of jet lag. In June, the Silverstone, Assen and Catalunya races are also back to back, but this is not uncommon in Europe.

The biggest problem will come in late August and early September. The teams fly from Brno straight to Indianapolis, and then back to Misano in Italy. The travel itself will be difficult enough, but the schedule has to deal with the added complexity of the test at Brno. The logistics of packing up the entire paddock on Monday night and shipping it to Indianapolis in time for Wednesday will be challenging in the extreme, and the Grand Prix Commission may elect to drop the Brno tests entirely. The only alternative for the Brno tests would be at the Balatonring in Hungary, but given that this is three races later, the amount of time the teams will have to use anything they learn will be severely limited.

The calendar issued is still labeled provisional. There is every reason to believe that this schedule, too, will not be final. 

*: Evening Race
**: Saturday
***: Only MotoGP class
Reserve circuit,”Motorland Aragon Circuit”