MotoGP madness!: 16 races in ten weeks

The Motorcycle World Championship He had a crush on her for a long time. East. It’s 2016, CSM Sports and Entertainmenta well-known sports marketing and event services company, conducted a study among fans of various motorsports, including MotoGP.

A survey of 18,000 people in 18 countries linked in some way to motor sport. A study aimed at marketing professionals, and from which the data appeared in the calendar of MotoGP 2023 released a few weeks ago.

In one of its sections, it collected the fame of MotoGP. For example, even then cycling was the third most popular sport Indonesiathe same position occupied by MotoGP in Italy. In Spain became the sixth most followed, at France 16th, at United Kingdom 19th, at Japanese 24th and on USA 27th. On the other side of the scale is Malaysiawith MotoGP at the time being the tenth most popular sport, Thailand is 13th, Australia 15th and Brazil 16th.

These figures revealed that with a good marketing policy there is a good margin for growth, but at the same time it reflects an alarming decrease of interest in MotoGP in Europe, Japan or the United States. On the other hand, in countries in Southeast Asia or with a population of young average age – such as Brazil– MotoGP is in a growth phase.

If we add to this the visibility that some countries seek through the organization of international events, we can see one of the reasons why the calendar of MotoGP 2023 saw two European events shelved in favor of two others being held Asia… And there is definitely more to come.

MotoGP2023 calendar review

Examining the 2023 MotoGP calendar, a great concentration of races in its third phase, the Asian phase, is very striking. After San Marino GP to be held on September 10, 2023, eight GPs will be held in ten weeks. Which means that, with the new format of Sprint racing on Saturdays and “normal” on Sundays, drivers will compete in 16 races in those ten weeks; 16 weeks!

It’s true that as a racing fan I can say “more is better”, although I honestly have my doubts. But where I’m not among them is when it comes to analyzing what 16 races in ten weeks indicate.

For example, the lack of control that comes with constantly changing schedules over sleep levels and meal times. Look at this…

Between Europe and India, there is a +4 hour time difference;

India and Japan, + 4 hours;

Japan and Europe, – 8 hours;

Europe and Indonesia, + 6 hours;

Indonesia and Australia, + 4 hours;

Australia and Thailand, – 4 hours;

Thailand and Europe, – 6 hours;

Europe and Malaysia, + 6 hours;

Malaysia and Qatar, – 5 hours;

Qatar and Europe, – 1 hour

The sequence seems to be an experiment in the human body’s resistance to constant changes in its routines.

For the drivers it is difficult, but for the members of their teams, it is exhausting. For the championship promoter, read on DORNAI suppose going to countries traditionally associated with motorcycle racing like Kazakhstan or India it will be very profitable economically, but be careful, because the championship 16 races in ten weeks means having Sword of Damocles hanging on his head.

MotoGP this is not the F1 which DORNA tries to imitate. In MotoGP the percentage that an incident has physical consequences that force its victim to periods of inactivity is infinitely higher – let’s remember without going beyond the situation of Made-. You have to be realistic: in 16 races there will be casualties and the sequence will mean that the drivers will not have time to recover… And this raises a new big question mark.

Where will the replacements for these injured drivers come from? Because there is not, as in other sports -including F1- a bank of pilots capable of piloting motorcycles of MotoGP. The factory teams have their test drivers, okay, but what about half the grid? And the level/quality of the show?

I understand that those responsible for DORNA manage the championship looking for its impact and the greatest economic benefit. They are a company and they also have bosses where they present a balance sheet at the end of the year. And after a two-year pandemic, during which the DORNA championship was lost, now is the time to recover financially. Especially how the green grass grows in the F1 garden.

I also understand the teams, who are very economically dependent on DORNA, accept what is dictated from above without question. But what I find hard to understand is how the riders, who will be riding the bikes and racing 16 times in 10 weeks, didn’t make themselves heard in what would be an obvious situation… What word to use ?… Stressful?… Dangerous?…