“From F1 I copy everything I can copy”

The World Cup MotoGP It is in the stage of changes. Two weeks ago, the revolutionary new format introduced this season was accompanied by the presentation of Dan Rossomondo, a former director of the NBA who went to GGPP for… Let Carmelo Ezpeleta himself, the general director of DORNA, explain it:

“I think MotoGP is going very well. We have a helluva championship in terms of competitiveness, where the privateers are winning, with very close races… What will happen is that we have to explain them better to the world.”

MotoGP has been accused of copying the F1 format

“When four years ago they said that F1 had to copy MotoGP, I replied that we are the second motorsport sport in the world and the first in motorcycles. Now I say the same thing: there is no possible comparison. That being said, I copy everything I can copy, and they copy some things from us.

Going back to Dan Rossomondo, he’s coming in as Commercial Director, right?

“Yes it is. After the selection process, we chose Rossomondo because it comes from managing a product that sells very well. If you look closely, almost every country in the world, whether you’re a fan or not, has news from NBA. Rossomondo has experience in that and in more things like the digital issue… He doesn’t seem to be the right person”.

What exactly is the role of a Commercial Director at DORNA?

“Everything that is not circuit, which I take directly. In other words, the sale of advertising, merchandising rights, digital sales, the sale of television rights… All this is included in the commercial”.

and marketing?

“Right now marketing is out of the responsibilities that Rossomondo will assume. When he joins, we’ll see what he wants to do. It’s certainly not the only addition; there’s more to come. Now it’s time for Dan to understand better the company and share his opinion with us in a short time. Once we have a diagnosis, we will see what we can do to take the steps he thinks are necessary. Certainly an effort needs to be made at the level of investment to explain what MotoGP is”.

Is the new format introduced this season the most radical change DORNA has implemented in the World Cup since they took over in 1992?

No, moving from 2T to 4T in MotoGP is fat. In my view, during this period there are three changes that seem to distinguish me: The transition from 500 cc to MotoGP, the single control unit and the economic policies agreed with the teams and the new format which was released this year. And I personally consider that the first two are more important for the championship than the last. We don’t realize it, but in racing we are generally very conservative. And it’s curious that I, at my age, am the most ‘open’.

Changing the subject, there is speculation about the possibility of moving away from calendar circuits that have become obsolete in terms of safety. Isn’t it easier to stop evolution in MotoGP?

“Same thing… We will stop the benefits for sure; from 2027… We are already talking about that. But I also tell you that the circuits have to adapt”.

And do we have to wait three years to stop development? In three years, MotoGP will reach inhuman levels of performance.

“You can’t change before. We signed an agreement on these terms with the builders and what I can’t say now: I’m replacing them. We will only change everything if all manufacturers agree.

The rotation between the Spanish GGPP started this year in Aragón, which was left off the calendar. Is this a dynamic that will apply every season from now on?

Let’s see… The contracts I have with the circuits say that, at my decision, I can tell him one year that he doesn’t have to go to the GP. It is valid for Spain and Portugal. So, depending on how other things are, you say “you do it or you don’t.” I have a commitment to do at least three races at each circuit, although I think we will do more than three at each of them. But I cannot determine more at this time.

The championship started with problems on all circuits… In Portimao, the gravel; in Argentina the level of facilities, in Austin the potholes… What’s going on? It seems the circuits don’t have time to catch up.

“In Portimao the problem is gravel; they have to change it and they will change it… In Argentina, there are many problems, but not in the circuit but in infrastructure and things like that. One of the Termas is the only circuit we have valid in the whole of South America, and South America is an important continent for the World Cup. Let’s see what happens when more circuits come out; Is there a chance? In Austin there is a problem that the subsoil in which the circuit is located is moving, and it is a problem with a very expensive solution.

But what is difficult to understand is why the championship runs into these problems when it comes to celebrating the GP. Why aren’t scouts sent out and required to change things that are wrong before the race comes?

The inspections are done, but they say not to some requirements. So the decision should be, ‘you don’t want it, I’m not going’. You can do this on certain sites, not others. ‘You don’t want it, I’m not going’, and you run out of a career in the United States; and this is a loss… ‘If you don’t do it, I won’t go’ in Spain automatically implies ‘See you later handsome’, because you have alternatives. Not all situations can be managed in the same way.