On Tuesday evening at the five star Gran Hotel Baglioni in Bologna, Dorna’s CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta met with all the satellite team managers (Gresini, Cecchinello, Campinoti, Mularoni, Poncharal, not present Team Francisco Hernando Group) to discuss MotoGP’s future, the role of private teams, even more stringent cost cutting measures, how to increase sponsorship to ensure a stronger and increasingly competitive championship.
Having met with the manufacturers in Japan at the begining of January to discuss the Kawasaki situation and where many cost cutting proposals such as shorter practice sessions, longer life engines, banning carbon brakes and running a single motorcycle per rider where put on the table, Ezpeleta also insisted on meeting with the privateers (which now prefer to be called independents) before the start of official tests next week.
What has come out of that three hour long meeting if confirmed and approved could change the face of MotoGP as we know it today.
His first proposal would revolutionize MotoGP starting in 2010, and consists of a Gran Prix inside a Gran Prix, a parallel championship reserved only for private teams, not a trophy style cup, but a real World Championship with classifications, a points system, a separate podium and at the end of the year the title for best rider and best satellite team.
The creation of a “B” championship is based on the theory that in recent years private teams basically cannot compete on an equal level with official teams, they have a slim chance these days of winning and often cannot even get 2°or 3° places on the podium and the idea is that if you race in the ‘B’ championship you could win a title, get on the podium and thus you’ll have much more visibility for your sponsors.
The B championship naturally would also have to be approved by the FIM.
Another proposal would require that any rider making their debut in the premier class would have to run their first year with a private team before passing to an official factory team.
As we know Moto2 will replace the current 250cc class in 2011 and Ezpeleta has requested that satellite teams also run a Moto2 team (600cc) to nurture junior riders and the idea is to have at least 26 bikes on the grid, to do this Dorna is ready to ask manufacturers to cap the lease value that they charge privateer teams and that all bike development be halted for at least two years to recoup costs.
We will now have to wait and see what other radical ideas and proposals that Dorna, IRTA, the FIM and MSMA come up with to save MotoGP.