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MotoGP, Dorna enters post-Rossi era thanks to Bagnaia and a revived Marquez

The new generation with Bagnaia, Martin, Bastianini, Morbidelli & Co, along with a reinvigorated Marc Márquez, and KTM's and Aprilia's increased competitiveness made up for Valentino Rossi's painful retirement.

MotoGP: Dorna enters post-Rossi era thanks to Bagnaia and a revived Marquez

The 2024 MotoGP World Championship will be offer exciting and varied races, even if Ducati's superiority has long since reached the proportions demonstrated by Honda in the early stages of the new four-stroke era after 2002, with the unbeatable five-cylinder RC211V.

While Dorna officials were still considering eliminating the Mugello or Misano GPs from the Italian calendar two years ago, due to the disappointing number of spectators, the first Misano GP on September 8th exceeded all expectations: the promoter of the "Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino and Rimini Riviera 2024 " was thrilled with the record attendance. The new generation, with Bagnaia, Martin, Bastianini, Morbidelli & Co,  alon with a reinvigorated Marc Márquez and KTM's and Aprilia's increased competitiveness made up for Valentino Rossi's painful retirement.

However, not everything in the world championship is all sunshine and rainbows. Honda's and Yamaha's weak performances are cause for concern, especially since Suzuki already retired after 2022, and the economic conditions of motorcycle manufacturers haven't improved. Thousands of unsold bikes and heavy discounts are characterizing the core business.

Constant changes in results due to penalties caused by underinflated tires during races are irritating. The new limits on age imposed after the deaths of young riders - such as Moto3 World Championship rider Jason Dupasquier (19) five years ago at the Mugello International Circuit when exiting the second Arrabbiata corner, and promising talent Dean Berta Viñales (15) in a massive crash in Jerez during the World Supersport 300 Championship round - were sometimes too severe and had to be partially reconsidered.

Dorna officials also have to accept and announce GP cancellations every year because circuits such as the Circuit of Wales, Kymiring, Igora Circuit, and Sokol Circuit (in Almaty/Kazakhstan) aren't ready or don't meet the required safety standards. Even the adventurous challenge of the Indian GP at the Buddh Circuit, which the Formula 1 quickly gave up on, was abandoned after a trial run in 2023.

Instead, Dorna has brought the exciting Aragon GP back, as well as adding the challenging Portimão Autodrome on the calendar, reactivating the Red Bull Ring in 2016, creating new tracks in Asia worth seeing (Buriram, Mandalika), and, unlike the Formula 1, making the Sepang GP a crowd-pleaser.

Of course, always in cooperation with local partners. Now, the traditional Brno event is also returning for five years, starting in 2025. And the canceled GP event in Kazakhstan has been replaced by the Emilia Romagna GP in Misano next weekend.

Motorcycle manufacturers and sponsors would like to see more GP events in South America because the races are held in prime time in Europe, instead of early in the morning, like in Asia. But Argentina's controversial new president, Javier Milei, has sacrificed the 2023 Grand Prix at Termas de Río Honda for bigger investments. And all the other GPs planned by Dorna in Chile and in Brazil (Rio, Brasilia, Goiania or São Paulo) weren't brought to fruition.

However, it's not only with new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), Dan Rossomondo, that Dorna has stepped up its efforts in North and South America. Trackhouse Aprilia Racing is the first U.S. team to participate in the MotoGP World Championship, and the search for a second U.S. GP is in full swing.

Trackhouse team owner Justin Marks is hoping for the completion of the new circuit in Tennessee. He wants to bring a U.S. rider like Joe Roberts to the MotoGP and compete with the Formula 1 with MotoGP in the U.S., just like in the days of Nicky Hayden, Ben Spies, or Colin Edwards.

Longtime GP team members and riders know that Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and his son, Carlos, have always lent an ear to the concerns of riders and factories.

When FIM officials were in power (lost to Dorna in late 1991), Grand Prix events were characterized by strikes and boycotts because riders in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s were fed up with life-threatening street circuits like the Isle of Man, Montjuich, Imatra, Brno, Opatija, and Francorchamps.

After the events at Francorchamps in 1979, riders and factories for the first time thought about a World Series without the FIM. After the memorable events of Hockenheim 1989, Franchorchamps 1989 (three starts and two dropouts in the 500cc class; only two starts were allowed; winner Eddie Lawson got to race only eight laps in the downpour at the end), and Rijeka 1990, the FIM was deputized with the help of Bernie Ecclestone (who had already challenged FISA in the Formula 1 in 1982). Since then, the FIM hasn't had much say in the GPs, even if President Jorge Viegas is sometimes allowed to hold the podium ceremony and show off his latest outfit.

Let's not forget that the FIM also sends out the "entry list" and the calendar in the fall, but the calendar is drawn up by Dorna alone, while Dorna and IRTA are involved in selecting riders and teams.

Overall, Dorna, the MSMA manufacturers alliance, the IRTA team association, and the MotoGP riders put up a united front.
Of course, there has sometimes been resistance to Dorna's decisions, for example, when standardized engines were introduced in the Moto2 in 2010. Even when the tire war in the MotoGP ended, and Bridgestone was named "official tire supplier" from 2009 until the end of 2015, there was resistance in the beginning. But no one has complained since.

Twenty years ago, several MotoGP teams paid Michelin 50,000 Euros per rider and per weekend for tires. Today, they're distributed free of charge. Michelin opposed the "single tire supplier" idea in 2009, but took over from Bridgestone in 2016 and extended the contract until the end of 2026. It's very likely that Pirelli will take over in 2027, as it did for the Moto3 and Moto2 classes in 2024.

The fact that Dorna now pays more than 70 million Euros to teams in the three GP classes is an indisputable fact.

Under the FIM regime, the 250cc GP winner was paid a paltry sum of 1,750 Swiss Francs.

And Dorna charges Moto2 teams only 20,000 Euros per rider and per season for Triumph engines.

Dorna executives compete with their global racing series against many other interesting sports. That's why sometimes radical changes are needed, such as the introduction of Saturday Sprints, initially opposed by many stars and teams.

Today, however, they greatly enhance Saturdays, both on the track and for viewers.


And when it comes down to it, the motto is, as always: he who pays the piper calls the tune.

 

 

Translated by Leila Myftija

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