The statements by Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna, coincide with the still open conflict between the Australian Immigration Ministry and Novak Djokovic: the tennis player has not respected the mandatory quarantine that the state imposes on non-vaccinated against Covid-19 and remains at Melbourne, pending resolution of the case, in order to participate in the Australian Open starting next Monday.
In light of this case, Ezpeleta has made it clear that MotoGP will only move in states free from quarantine, even if this implies that all members of the paddock must be vaccinated. CEO Dorna said that the goal for 2022 is to have a minimum of 19 races out of the 22 currently on the calendar.
“If they tell us we have to do 14 days of quarantine, the answer is clear: no, let’s not go! This is the limit ”, emphasized Ezpeleta in some statements made to the Spanish news agency EFE. For CEO Dorna, the example of what to follow is last year’s Austin. “What we have experienced in the United States is what we would like to achieve, it is the status we are prepared for,” added Ezpeleta, whose goal is to gradually return to normal in terms of participation in the paddock, as far as possible. However, he acknowledges that the capacity will never be the same as before the pandemic, for issues not related to the virus: “It’s like entering the locker room of a football team.”
For Carmelo Ezpeleta, the pre-season tests that will take place in the first two weeks of February between Malaysia and Indonesia will be a good yardstick to get an approximate idea of the number of events that will take place. In 2021 the calendar was completed with 18 rounds, although four of these were disputed on the same circuit. “Our goal is that there are 19 grands prix. In the calendar there are 21 because we have to respect the signed contracts, but probably some can be canceled ”, concluded the CEO Dorna.
MotoGP 2022 calendar
Date |
Grand Prix |
Circuit |
March 6 |
Qatar |
Losail |
March 20 |
Indonesia* |
Mandalika |
3rd April |
Argentina |
Termas |
April 10 |
Americas |
COTA |
April 24 |
Portugal |
Algarve |
May 1 |
Spain |
Jerez |
May 15 |
France |
Le Mans |
May 29 |
Italy |
Mugello |
June 5th |
Catalunya |
Barcelona |
June 19 |
Germany |
Sachsenring |
June 26 |
Holland |
Assen |
10th of July |
Finland* |
KymiRing |
August 7 |
Great Britain |
Silverstone |
August 21 |
Austria |
Red Bull Ring |
September 4th |
San Marino |
Misano |
September 18th |
Aragon |
Motorland |
September 25th |
Japan |
Motegi |
2nd October |
Thailand |
Chang |
October 16 |
Australia |
Phillip Island |
October 23 |
Malaysia |
Sepang |
November 6 |
Valencian Community |
Cheste |
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