Zarco: Repeat races will be good for me
New to the Ducati, and having missed some winter tests, Johann Zarco believes MotoGP's dose of five repeat events will work out well for him.
The revised 13-round calendar includes back-to-back visits to Jerez, Red Bull Ring, Misano, Aragon and Valencia. It's a practical solution to help fit in as many races as possible, while complying with enhanced travel restrictions due to the coronavirus.
New to the Ducati, and having missed some winter tests, Johann Zarco believes MotoGP's dose of five repeat events will work out well for him.
The revised 13-round calendar includes back-to-back visits to Jerez, Red Bull Ring, Misano, Aragon and Valencia. It's a practical solution to help fit in as many races as possible, while complying with enhanced travel restrictions due to the coronavirus.
Zarco has joined Avintia Ducati after two seasons at Tech3 Yamaha, then half a year at KTM and three races for Honda. However, he missed the end of 2019 tests due to injury and has thus only ridden a Desmosedici at Sepang and Losail.
"I'm pretty happy about the new calendar," Zarco told the official MotoGP website, during his latest training day on a Superbike in Catalunya.
"It was good news when I saw it and I think for me it will be interesting to have two races in the same place, because I need to learn the MotoGP Ducati. I have only six days on the bike at the moment, so to have a race and then repeat it will be good.
"We also have three-race weekends in a row many times this year and I like this kind of rhythm after the long break, so it will be good to stay with the team and repeat the weekends."
For similar reasons, some are predicting that the second race of each back-to-back weekend will be a good chance for the 2020 rookies - Alex Marquez, Brad Binder and Iker Lecuona - to shine.
Revised 2020 MotoGP Calendar (including free weekends) | |||||||||
Round | Date | Race | Circuit | ||||||
| 15 July | Official Test | Jerez | ||||||
1 | 19 July | Spain | Jerez | ||||||
2 | 26 July | Andalusia | Jerez | ||||||
| 2 August |
|
| ||||||
3 | 9 August | Czech Republic | Brno | ||||||
4 | 16 August | Austria | Red Bull Ring | ||||||
5 | 23 August | Styria | Red Bull Ring | ||||||
30 August | |||||||||
6 September | |||||||||
6 | 13 September | San Marino e Della Riviera di Rimini | Misano | ||||||
7 | 20 September | Emilia Romagna e Della Riviera di Rimini | Misano | ||||||
8 | 27 September | Catalunya | Barcelona | ||||||
4 October | |||||||||
9 | 11 October | France | Le Mans | ||||||
10 | 18 October | Aragon | Aragon | ||||||
11 | 25 October | Teruel | Aragon | ||||||
1 November | |||||||||
12 | 8 November | Europe | Ricardo Tormo | ||||||
13 | 15 November | Comunitat Valenciana | Ricardo Tormo (Final European race) | ||||||
22 November | |||||||||
29 November | |||||||||
| 6 December |
|
| ||||||
| 13 December |
| Deadline for any Flyaway races. | ||||||
MotoGP 2020: List of 'To Be Confirmed' events | |||||||||
1 |
| Thailand | Buriram | ||||||
2 |
| Malaysia | Sepang | ||||||
3 |
| Americas | COTA | ||||||
4 | 22 November | Argentina | Termas de Rio Hondo | ||||||
MotoGP 2020: List of Cancelled events | |||||||||
1 |
| Qatar (MotoGP class) | Losail | ||||||
2 |
| Italy | Mugello | ||||||
3 |
| Germany | Sachsenring | ||||||
4 |
| Netherlands | Assen | ||||||
5 |
| Finland | KymiRing | ||||||
6 |
| Great Britain | Silverstone | ||||||
7 |
| Japan | Motegi | ||||||
8 |
| Australia | Phillip Island | ||||||
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
