Belated, truncated and isolated, but better late than never, the MotoGP season resumes in Spain on Sunday 19th July.
“Resumes” because the first round in Qatar took place right as the first COVID-19 travel restrictions bit. The smaller classes – 675cc Moto2 and 250cc Moto3 – happened to be there already, having just completed their final preseason test. The premier class, however, was absent, most having gone home for a short break after completing their own test just days before. They’ve been at home ever since, and the closest most have been to a racing bike is on the PlayStation.
A steady stream of cancellations and postponements preceded intensive negotiations and a new calendar, announced in the second week of June, replacing the original longest-ever 20-race list. As well as Qatar, there will be 13 more races (probably), with a few more venues on the reserve list, although with a promise that the 72nd motorcycle grand prix season will not extend beyond early December, it is hard to see how the four reserve flyaway rounds will fit in.
The schedule has been achieved by doubling up on consecutive weekends at several circuits: the 13 races will be held at eight circuits, four of them in Spain.
The last tests were back in March, when times suggested even closer racing than last year –19 riders within a second over the three days at Sepang, with a dozen in 2019. The 2020 number included several KTMs including that of fancied rookie Brad Binder, where last year only a single Aprilia interrupted the usual Honda/Ducati/Yamaha/Suzuki order.
The same question remains: can anyone beat defending six-times premier-class champion Marc Marquez? The Repsol Honda rider finished every race but one in 2019, never lower than second; in tests he languished, but for a second year straight was still recovering from major shoulder surgery. The break has given him (and fellow shoulder-surgery victims Taki Nakagami and Miguel Oliveira) welcome recovering time; by contrast Ducati’s biggest name Andrea Dovizioso suffered a broken collarbone in a motocross injury with barely three weeks to go before the first Jerez race.
Story has been shortened. See full report at https://www.goodwood.com/grr/race/modern/2020/7/motogp-2020-preview/