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MotoGP, Uncini: "If there is a positive case in the paddock, we will not stop everything"

"The infected person will be placed in quarantine, like those who have had contact with him. From Brno we will evaluate the access of the press and the public, the situation with Alex Marquez is unusual"

MotoGP: Uncini: "If there is a positive case in the paddock, we will not stop everything"

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Franco Uncini has always been one of the driving forces in MotoGP behind the scenes in recent years, and the Covid crisis of these months has certainly increased his workload. The person responsible for FIM Grand Prix safety is in fact one of those involved in the front line in managing the situation and in drafting a new and (almost) definitive calendar, which a few days ago finally saw the light.

"We did everything in a super protected way - said Uncini - by getting organized to ensure that all the insiders do not have contact with the outside world, and therefore with the residents of the host nation. The only movements we will make will be from the hotel to the circuit and vice versa, with dedicated coaches. We have planned transfers of this type both during and after the weekend, therefore to the airport: only getting from the airport to the circuit remains at the discretion of the teams for now. "

The concept of "super protection" also includes the exclusion of the public and the press. When will things change?

“For the first two races we have decided to exclude both the public and the press, but in the future, the situation remains to be seen. Every week we evaluate the state of things, and for the first few races it was necessary to reduce attendance to a minimum to be certain of racing: for the two races in Jerez this is the situation, from Brno onwards we will evaluate things”.

Many observers are wondering what would happen if someone inside the paddock tested positive. What's the plan?

“I’m struggling to give a clear answer, but the most popular option is to quarantine all those who have been in contact with that person. The idea is absolutely not to stop everything."

Yamaha in recent weeks has highlighted the risk of not having its Australian and Japanese team members available. Has the problem been solved?

“We are currently submitting this action plan to all governments, and I think it can be accepted by all, so the problem will probably be solved in this way. Nobody will infect us and we will not infect anyone. "

Let's talk about racing a bit. What’s your take on the Alex Marquez case in Honda?

"It is certainly a strange and unusual situation. So far, he has only carried out a normal learning curve, so it is something that is difficult to explain. There are probably reasons we don't know. "

And Ducati? Could Dovizioso really leave and Lorenzo take his place?

"I don't think Andrea has all this desire to leave Ducati, so I think they will come to an agreement. Lorenzo is a pawn at the moment, he could become interesting for Ducati if the seat were free".

What will a world championship that includes fewer races and two Grands Prix on the same circuit be like?

"No different from the others: obviously in the second case, thanks to the analysis made during the first one, you can also be more competitive. The decrease in the number of races only depended on the pandemic. This world championship will be a bit like those of the past, when it raced almost entirely in Europe. "

 

 

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