2020 MotoGP season might be canceled due to the current situation

The 2020 MotoGP season might just get canceled thanks to the current situation across the globe. Carmelo Ezpeleta, the CEO of Dorna is not confident about the continuation of the 2020 MotoGP season as a vaccine for the virus is nowhere to be seen yet.

Dorna Sports holds the commercial rights to MotoGP. Hence, it is safe to say that this statement from the CEO puts the brakes on the 2020 MotoGP season. The widespread viral outbreak has stopped the world in its tracks.

Offices, schools, manufacturing plants, universities and all events where people would usually gather in large numbers have all been stopped temporarily all across the world. The aforementioned large gatherings include motorsport events. Since the outbreak, all Motorsport events have been postponed or canceled.

MotoGP fans the world over, including ourselves are dejected because we can’t watch our favourite riders and teams battle it out on the track. However, the organisers of the sport took the call to temporarily stop the season in the interest of the safety of its participants.

Initially, it was decided that the races would go on without the spectators on the grand stands. Later though, the safety of the riders, team members, mechanics, crew, organisers, stewards, etc, was taken into consideration and it was stopped temporarily.

Since then, the MotoGP team has been organising virtual races in which the riders race each other online using gaming consoles. While this provided some entertainment to viewers and fans, it simply isn’t good enough.

Unfortunately though, things may remain this way for a few more months thanks to the current situation. Carmelo Ezpeleta was quoted as saying, “I think that until we have vaccines to stop the spread of the virus, it will be very difficult or impossible to organise grand prix and other major events.” With this, he expressed that he was not confident that the 2020 season can continue.

Top pharmaceutical companies are developing vaccines to stop the spread. However, it will still take a couple of months before trials of such vaccines start. Once trials are successful, mass trials will have to take place and it can enter mass production only once those are successful.

This entire process simply means that a vaccine accessible to the masses will only be available by early 2021. Carmelo Ezpeleta went on to say,  “It is important that the safety and health of everyone involved is guaranteed. If someone gets infected at one of our events, we will be blamed forever.

“We can also survive if we have to completely cancel the 2020 season. If we have to accept this ‘worst case’ scenario, we will prepare for the 2021 season in a timely and conscientious manner.”

Going by the current conditions and this new development, it is safe to assume that we would not be able to witness any MotoGP action until 2021 or the last quarter of 2020 at the very least. MotoGP teams though are ready to spring into action and waiting for races to begin.