Submitted by David Emmett on
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.
Dates | Grand Prix | Circuit |
April 11 * | Qatar | Doha/Losail |
April 25 | Japan | Motegi |
May 2 | Spain | Jerez de la Frontera |
May 23 | France | Le Mans |
June 6 | Italy | Mugello |
June 20 | Great Britain | Silverstone |
June 26 ** | Netherlands | Assen |
July 4 | Catalunya | Catalunya |
July 18 | Germany | Sachsenring |
July 25 *** | United States | Laguna Seca |
August 22 | Czech Rep. | Brno |
August 29 | Indianapolis | Indianapolis |
September 5 | San Marino & Riviera di Rimini | Misano |
September 19 | Hungary | Balatonring |
October 10 | Malaysia | Sepang |
October 17 | Australia | Phillip Island |
October 31 | Portugal | Estoril |
November 7 | Valencia | Ricardo Tormo – Valencia |
*: Evening Race
**: Saturday
***: Only MotoGP class
Reserve circuit,”Motorland Aragon Circuit”
Comments
What about Laguna?
What is Laguna going to be like without an AMA round.
There will be a lot of time to fill in between that void.
Although I don't mind not having the DMG present that weekend does this give an opportunity to have maybe the MOTO 2 only class present at the event?
Unlikely
It's unlikely, because of the money involved. The 125 and Moto2 teams don't have the budgets to cope with a second US round. It's a real shame, though.
what
what is the logic of taking the bikes to indy instead of a circuit they're more suited to?
Indy
Agreed. Racing at Istanbul Park in Turkey or The Shanghai International Circuit in China would be much better tracks for MotoGP than what Indy has to offer. Those are 2 of the best tracks MotoGP can possibly visit & they haven't been on the calender for 2 years! Bring 'em back!
Istanbul Yes, Shanghai, No
Istanbul is a brilliant track however, Some conflict with F1 prevents MotoGP from going there anymore.
Shanghai is a terrible, terrible motorcycle track and no one likes going there.