The saga regarding pushing the Phillip Island calendar date earlier in the season is continuing.
While the 2011 date is set in stone, Dorna’s Carmelo Ezpeleta has said that the Australian round will not take place after 2011, unless it is moved away from its current October date, to earlier in the year, despite circuit organizers stating that their contract is for races to be held in September or October until 2016, and that Australian fans have nothing to worry about and that they will continue to get their MotoGP fix.
While the riders have repeatedly complained about the poor weather conditions that they have recently found at the Island during the October dates, the saga earnestly began after last year’s race.
Australian Grand Prix corporation chairman Ron Walker has been working with Dorna in finding a solution but Ezpeleta seems pretty adamant on what he wants.
“Ron Walker told me in an email that he would come back to me as soon as possible with dates for 2012.
In 2010, we were very close to cancelling the race.
If all the weekend the weather was like Friday, which could happen, then we cannot run the event.
This is the matter we are discussing, and it is not just the rain, but the problem at Phillip Island is rain and the cold and then the tyres are not up to temperature.
The riders have strongly requested to us to change the date.
Our position has not changed at all.
We want the race moving to earlier in the year for 2012, and the corporation is aware of our position.
”Aussie champion Wayne Gardner is convinced that changing the date will make no difference and that Dorna won’t drop the venue, “In fact, it would be a total waste of time.
Can I tell you, moving the race to March will provide no guarantee of getting a better deal from the weather gods.
This is just the reality of Phillip Island.
It doesn’t matter when you go there.
The chance of bad weather will always be present.
The very edge of Bass Strait is the greatest location in the world to have a racetrack, but the price you pay is its susceptibility to dramatic conditions – bitter cold, strong winds and buckets of rain.
Despite the on-going drama, I don’t think race enthusiasts should be too concerned.
Even if MotoGP organisers stick to their guns and refuse to budge, I find it very hard to believe that Dorna will cancel the race.
It just won’t happen.
You know what? All the riders love racing at Phillip Island.
It’s one of the most enjoyable racetracks to ride on.
I really don’t think they will cut off their nose to spite their face.
”Apparently Gardner doesn’t realize that Dorna could do just that, mostly to avoid hearing more complaints about safety from the riders, and the eventual risk of not running the event due to harsh weather conditions or rescheduling for the day after to save face as they did in 2009 with Qatar GP, could end up being very costly and a logistic nightmare for everyone around.