MotoGP has outlined the maximum numbers of team personnel allowed in the paddock when racing resumes, while confirming it is looking to purchase 10,000 coronavirus test kits.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has forced the opening 11 rounds of the season to be either cancelled or postponed, with the campaign now set to commence at the end of July at the earliest.
On Wednesday, MotoGP governing body the FIM confirmed that a revised calendar won’t feature the Finnish, German and – for the first time in history – Dutch GPs, while essential track works in Qatar has ruled out a premier class slot in 2020 after the Losail International Circuit hosted Moto2 and Moto3 in March.
Last weekend, Carmelo Ezpeleta – CEO of MotoGP promoters Dorna Sports – said he was “optimistic” of a late July or August start, with hopes of a 10-12-round season centred in Europe.
It is thought most, if not all, of these races will be held behind closed doors, with a reduction to a skeleton crew of teams personnel previously discussed.
In an update on Wednesday evening, Ezpeleta says a consensus on numbers for each factory and satellite MotoGP team, as well as for the Moto2 and Moto3 squads has been taken.
“We talked to the teams and arrived at a consensus that maximum number for a MotoGP manufacturer team will be 40 [personnel], for satellite or independent teams will be 25, 20 for Moto2 and 15 for Moto3,” Ezpeleta said.
“Then there will be, of course, all the people who produce the television signal; all this crew, then the minimum number of people from Dorna who are in charge of race organisation.
“This will give us an average of around 1600 people.
“This is the possibility to control the MotoGP family.
“Unfortunately, at the moment there will be no media and no TV [media].”
Ezpeleta also revealed that Dorna’s parent company Bridgepoint Capital is looking at buying 10,000 coronavirus test kits, with regular COVID-19 tests carried out on all personnel to strictly monitor any spread of the virus within the MotoGP paddock.
“We are working just on the 10,000 coronavirus tests which we agreed with Bridgepoint,” he added.
“Then what we are doing is to try to make a protocol, which is the way we’re working within Dorna now to see how the races could be without spectators and with a limited number of people working in the paddock, which will give different situations regarding transportation, accommodation, hospitality.
“Then everyone will be tested before leaving their house, then tested when they arrive at the circuit and also when they return home.
“This is the idea. We are working with another company which belongs to Bridgepoint to acquire these 10,000 tests.”