Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta has explained why, after postponing previous events, the decision was taken to cancel the German, 🍷Dutch and Finnish MotoG𝕴Ps.

The Spaniard also reiterated plans to start the heavily-delayed 2020 season in July, through use of extensive testing of paddoc🍸k members for the coronavirus, plus the planned shape of the world championship schedule.

Wi﷽th the respective authorities extending a ban on public ga🗹therings until at least the end of August, the only way the Sachsenring, Assen and KymiRing rounds might have gone ahead was as a 'closed-door' event. But it seems that wasn't viable.

"Aꦉny of these [three] Grands Prix without spectators is🐠 very difficult to do," Ezpeleta said. "It’s for that reason that we’ve decided with the three local promoters to pass onto next year, instead of putting them on a new date."

Addressing the loss📖 of the Dutc𝔍h TT, part of the world championship calendar since the inaugural 1949 season, Ezpeleta added: "This coronavirus problem is something we’ve never seen and so unfortunately [Assen] is not a possibility.

"The authorities of the Netherlands have forbi🍒dden evꦕents until the end of August and so it’s completely impossible [until then]. After that in Assen it will be difficult to organise a Grand Prix and more difficult again without spectators."

Assen boasted the biggest race day crowd of last year at 105,000, with the Sachsenring was one of three events to pull in over 200,000 weekend fans. The KymiRing situation was further ꧅complicated by the need to receive circuit homologation and host a tyre test.

'Difficult to have spectators at the races'

It now seems that any races held this year will take placeꦏ withoജut fans.

"It will be difficult to have spectators at the races but we will have our fantastic t⛦elevision coverage which will permit the majority of people to watch the races," Ezpeleta confirmed.

The trio of cancellations mean that Brno on August 9 is now the earliest listed event. However, the 74-year-old outlined plans for a late July start, which would mean slotting in one of the post📖poned races or bringing an event forward from later in the season.

"Our idea right now is to star꧅t at the end of July. Where and when are still to be decided," he said.

Europe from July until November

What we d𒀰o know is that the opening event, and perhaps all of the shortened season, will be held in Europe. If so, racing will conclude at the end of November, due to the climate.

If any non-European events are🅰 possible, the championship w𒐪ill then go on into December.

"We’re sure our ꧙initial program is to start in Europe and race from the end of July until November and see what’s happening, and if the non-European races💙 will be possible after November," Ezpeleta said.

"In the worst case, if it’s not possible to tra😼v⭕el outside of Europe, we’ll at least keep a Championship of least 10 to 12 races between the end of July and the end of November."

♓But that doesn't me👍an there would be 10-12 different venues.

"We are considering doing two conse𝓰cutive race weekends at the same🍎 circuit," Ezpeleta said.

So that's potentially only five or six circuits.

Testing, testing…

But befo✅re a calendar can be announced, MotoGP must♚ be granted permission to hold even a 'closed-door' event by the relevant authorities in the host country.

Key to this is MotoGP's plan to test pad﷽dock members before, during and after travelling to each venue.

"Everyone will be tested before lea🏅ving their house, then tested when they arrive at the circuit and also when they return home. This is the idea," Ezpeleta explained. "We are working wi⛄th another company which belongs to Bridgepoint [owner of Dorna] to acquire 10,000 tests."

Whether such testing (alongside social-distancing efforts and perhaps use of facemasks) will that be enough to persuade a host nation to allow an international gatherin🐷g of 1,600 people remains to be seen, but MotoGP must be confident that at least several countries will do so.

"What we are doing is to try to make a protocol... To see how the races could be ไwithout spectators and a limited number of people working in the paddock, which will give different situations regarding transportation, accommodation, hospitality," said Ezpeleta.

"The maximum number" of🌸 staff allow🥃ed in the paddock "for a MotoGP manufacturer team will be 40, for satellite or independent teams will be 25, 20 for Moto2 and 15 for Moto3.

"Then there will be… all the people who produce the television signal… The minimum number of people from ಌDorna who are in charge of race organi🔯sation. This will give us an average of around 1600 people.

"Unfortunately at the moment there will be no media and nಞo TV… Maybe some photographers to supply images to everybody."

Austria is being pencilled in for the start of the F1 season in early July. If all passes without issue, the Red Bull 🌌Ring would be sure to host at least one race of the r🍌evised MotoGP season, currently holding a date of August 16.

Spain (the destination for the freight from Qatar) would be another likely host since it has four🦹 dif🔯ferent grand prix circuits within its borders. However, Ezpeleta is confident air travel will soon be possible.

"The first program we are thinking of [🔯is] the possibility to move by car [between events𝔉] if necessary but I think that by July, with many safety measures, it will be possible to fly within Europe," he said.

WorldSBK after MotoGP

As commercial rights holder for both MotoGP and WorldSBK, there had been speculation that combined race weekends could be possible, 🐽although these wo🔯uld inflate paddock numbers even further.

Inst🦄ead, WorldSBK might be held the w😼eekend after MotoGP.

"The idea is that because many of the circuits we wil✱l plan to be at for MotoGP also do Superbike races, then we will be maybe able to have a Superbike race the weekend immediately after a MotoGP race," Ezpeleta sa෴id.

Red Bull Ring, Jerez, Aragon, Catalunya, Misano?

Given Ezpeleta's words, here are the venues that are set to host both MotoGP and WorldSBK this season and, as such, appear most likely to join Austria as part of the proposed final 2020 calendar: Jerez, Aragon, Catalunya, Misano.

Those five ve🍎nues would provide a ten-race season if two rounds were held at each track.

WorldSBK events in Qatar and now Assen have been cancelled f🍎or MotoGP, while Phi🏅llip Island has already held its SBK round.