Dall’Igna: MotoGP races without fans 'the lesser evil'

Officially, the start of the 2020 MotoGP season is now set for a two-month delay, the coronavirus pushing the opening race back from Qatar on March 8 to Jerez on May 3.

But that May date remains very much provisional, depending entirely on how much progress is made in controlling the virus.

Even when the number of new cases decline, government restrictions are likely to be phased out in stages, rather than removed all at once, due to fears of a resurgence or 'second wave' of infections.

As such, the worst-affected areas are expected to continue banning 'non-essential' public gatherings long after the current lockdown procedures are eased.

Europe has now become the main battleground against the coronavirus. And since Europe is also where the opening 12 events on MotoGP's revised 2020 line-up are scheduled between May and September, the implications for further calendar disruption are clear.

“The situation is getting worse day after day. It is stupid to make plans today, because tomorrow we should necessarily change them," Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’Igna told SkySport.it, when asked if he thought the contractual minimum of 13 races for a 'world championship' would be met:

"[But] I am confident we'll have the 13 races."

Some believe MotoGP should consider holding races behind 'closed doors' (without any fans at the circuit) if it means the difference between a race going ahead or yet more postponements/cancellations.

"We are trying to do everything as normally as we can but if the conditions of the local authorities are to race without spectators, we can consider it, along with the local promoter," Dorna's Carmelo Ezpeleta said of the planned opening MotoGP round at Jerez. 

It's an idea Dall’Igna feels would be "the lesser evil".

“Motorbike enthusiasts could see the grand prix from home. It will not be the same and will have a strange and unnatural taste. But we are in an emergency," Dall’Igna said.

Apart from Qatar (14,502 race fans) last season's MotoGP races were held in front of an average trackside audience of 79,000 spectators.

The only event so far 'cancelled' rather than 'postponed' is the Losail MotoGP season opener, an event Ducati had won for the last two seasons with Andrea Dovizioso.

"I am convinced that Andrea could have done well, as he has done in the last two years," Dall’Igna said. "I also saw an improved Danilo [at the final test] compared to Sepang.

"In short, I would have liked to do the race in Qatar, because we could have done very well "

By contrast, Dall’Igna picked reigning champion Marc Marquez, Honda and Aprilia as among those with most to gain from the unintended delay.

“I believe that Marc Marquez will benefit from it, because he was the one who physically had to recover the most," Dall’Igna said.

"The stop also gives some manufacturers that had problems in terms of performance and reliability time to intervene. I am referring to Honda for sure, but also to Aprilia, which had improved the bike but had some reliability problems."

From Ducati's side, the lockdown in Italy means Dall’Igna is working from home, "focusing on the things that we will have to freeze from the first race: I am referring to aerodynamics, on which we can still intervene in some way."

Otherwise, Dall’Igna is using the unexpected confinement to catch-up on some valuable family time, plus cooking and chores "that have been put off for years".

Dall’Igna's message to his riders Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci is simply to train hard and prepare well, "because when the season starts there will be no time to stop, it will be a more condensed championship than ever."

Likewise, he assured fans that when racing finally gets underway "they will be jumping around on the sofa" and "recommends" they cheer for Ducati!

Aside from racing behind closed doors, 'double-header' events (with two grand prix races on a single weekend) would be a potential option to make up the numbers should cancellations occur.

Dorna chose the double-header option when last year's inaugural MotoE series was badly disrupted by a fire at the Jerez test, dropping the opening two rounds and replacing them with a new double-header event (at Valencia) to maintain the planned six-races. A double-header was already planned for Misano.

*Subject to circuit homologation.