#MotoGP | Major Changes to the MotoGP Testing Schedule.
The MotoGP World Championship will host 20 races across Asia, North America, South America, Europe and Australia. With the additional races added over recent years, the testing sessions held in the off season, and during the season, are set for a major shake-up starting from 2020. The most significant changes will come into effect at the beginning of the 2021 season.
When #MotoGP was introduced in 2002 to replace the 500cc class there were 16 races on the calendar, spreading from Asia to South America and in between. This would appear an exhausting travel schedule for these athletes, however, fast forward 17 years and the #MotoGP riders currently attend 19 races in a season. This is an incredible number for athletes who compete for around 9 months each year, and this number is set to increase as of 2020 and beyond.
With the addition of these new tracks and countries, the #MotoGP teams have been looking into ways to offset some of the additional workload on the riders and the team staff, by reducing the number of tests and by utilising their test teams further.
The Valencia test marks the beginning of a new season each year, falling on the Monday after the final race of the season. As well as having attended the end of season awards night, the riders have ridden a full race weekend, and then face a two day test session. An agreement has been reached between Dorna, FIM, IRTA, MSMA and the #MotoGP teams proposing the cancellation of the November 2020 test after the #ValenciaGP together with the traditional March 2021 test prior to the opening round at the #QatarGP.
The proposal has been approved by the Grand Prix Commission and will become effective in the regulations from the 2020 Season, which starts the day after the 2019 #ValenciaGP.
The following is the proposed testing programme for the #MotoGP class:
SEASON 2020 (COMMENCING 18TH NOVEMBER 2019)
|
Valencia |
19-20 November |
Two-day official test |
|
Jerez |
25-26 November |
Two-day joint private test |
|
Sepang |
2-4 February |
Three-day shakedown test |
|
Sepang |
7-9 February |
Three-day official test |
|
Qatar |
22-24 February |
Three-day official test |
|
Jerez |
4 May |
One-day official test (After GP) |
|
Barcelona |
8 June |
One-day official test (After GP) |
|
Finland |
15-16 June |
Two-day Michelin tyre test **TEST TEAMS ONLY** |
|
Misano |
15-16 September |
Two-day joint private test. |
SEASON 2021 (COMMENCING 16TH NOVEMBER 2020)
|
Jerez |
19-20 November |
Two-day official test |
|
Sepang |
1-3 February (Provisional) |
Three-day shakedown test |
|
Sepang |
6-8 February (Provisional) |
Three-day official test |
As the layout of the 2021 season has yet to be confirmed, a number of test dates remain uncertain, but are due to be added, these include:
- Possible Three-day test at Lombok, Indonesia (if the circuit is assigned to the MotoGP calendar)
- Two one-day official tests on Mondays following a race weekend (Circuits to be confirmed)
- Two-day official test (Circuit to be confirmed, likely Misano).
As the number of races hosted by the #MotoGP series increases, the riders’ fitness levels must be higher than ever before in order to keep up with the demands of 20 race weekends, and additional testing. The average age of a rider in the #MotoGP class is 28 years old but with the addition of new races and more arduous and frequent travel can we expect this number to drop? Will riders retire sooner than currently with a busier season taking its toll? Valentino Rossi shows no signs of retirement thoughts at the age of 40, can this sort of stamina and longstanding career last in the next generation of motorcycle racing? We look forward to finding out, as we discover new corners of the globe and new tracks we’ve never seen, with the fastest championship in the world.
