Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Global
Breaking news

Manufacturers back plan to cut back MotoGP testing

MotoGP's leading manufacturers have expressed support for plans to cut down the number of pre-season tests from three to two in 2019.

Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team

Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team

Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team, Andrea Iannone, Team Suzuki MotoGP
Cal Crutchlow, Team LCR Honda
Bradley Smith, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Tito Rabat, Avintia Racing
Lin Jarvis, Yamaha Factory Racing Managing Director
Eugene Laverty, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team
Franco Morbidelli, Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS

With two scheduled additions to the calendar over the next two years, it is expected that MotoGP will only host two pre-season tests to compensate for the expanded schedule from 2019.

The introduction of Thailand to the calendar in 2018 will result in MotoGP having 19 races this year, making it the busiest season ever for the championship.

Finland’s scheduled return to MotoGP from 2019 will also increase the number of race weekends in a season to 20, an amount series boss Carmelo Ezpeleta previously promised the championship would not exceed.

On top of the two days of official testing back in Valencia in November of last year, another nine testing days await at Sepang, Buriram and Qatar before the first race of the season at the last-named venue in March.

The challenge of finding time for the three tests and a possible 20 races has lead to calls for a reduction in the amount of testing from 2019 onwards, to help teams and riders find a sensible balance.

Yamaha team boss Lin Jarvis said: “20 races is a lot, not only for the riders but also for all of us.

“Doing the triple flyway is always exhausting at the end of the year, and [this year] the first extra race [Thailand] is outside of Europe.

“Definitely we don’t want to do more than 20, and I think if we do 20 we should reduce the testing.

"I believe there’s a plan to reduce the winter tests by one, to give us a little bit more balance.”

Former Honda team principal Livio Suppo also made it clear that he believed that it is “better [to be] racing than testing, at the end of the day.”

He added: “For the test rules, the situation now is ok. We cannot speak always about reducing costs and then be free to go testing everywhere.

“Consider also there are six manufacturers: three in Europe, three in Japan. It is correct to try to have a balance, considering we mainly race in Europe, to go testing in Europe or not.

“Having said that, for 20 races, it’s more than enough and also considering this, it’s not so easy to find a week to go testing again. I think the limitation of tests is welcome.”

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Zarco: My career doesn't hinge on when Rossi retires
Next article Lorenzo admits current rider market value “not high”

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Global