Alkass Digital
The opening two rounds of the 2021 MotoGP World Championship will be watched by more than 430 million racing fans around the globe, a top racing official said yesterday.
Abdulrehman Al Mannai, President of Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), yesterday disclosed preparations have been completed to hold the first pre-season testing from March 5.
Unlike previous years when Qatar hosted the first race of a new MotoGP season, this year the Losail International Circuit (LIC) will stage the first two rounds of the much-sought after two-wheel world championship.
Last year, just before the start of the opening round of the 2020 MotoGP World Championship, the Qatar leg was cancelled as the spread of COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on global sports schedules. A total of eight MotoGP races were cancelled last year while a few had to be rescheduled.
With a full calender of Grands Prix to be completed in 2021, broadcast statistics made public by QMMF show racing fans can barely wait for the start of the new season.
“These races in Qatar – like in previous years - will be held in artificial light and this time our live broadcast will reach homes in more than 200 countries. Television audience will reach around 430 million fans around the world,” Al Mannai said in an online question- answer session held with local media personnels.
“We are enthusiastically waiting for the start of the new MotoGP season. The two races will be held at the end of this month and in the first week of April. The first race will be held from March 26 to 28 and the second will be held from April 2 to 4. Qatar will be in the global spotlight of MotoGP fans for those two rounds,” Al Mannai said.
“We would like to inform that the visiting teams - riders and technical staff will stay in a bubble-to-bubble environment during their stay in Qatar. This experiment was successfully implemented in sports events held in Qatar recently,” A Mannai said.
“Only 20 percent of fan attendance will be allowed in the Grand Stand. There will be no activity in the paddocks and no fans allowed inside the paddock. There will be absolutely no movement of fans or media inside the paddock area except for teams, their rider and officials,” the QMMF President said.
“Once the bubble-to-bubble environment is created, strict rules - underlined by MOPH - will be implemented,” he said. “Even I won’t be able to go near the paddock area,” he added.
“We have called this press conference to announce the start of the new season of one of the most popular sports held in Qatar since 2004. This sports event is exclusively held in Qatar in the entire Middle East.
“Currently we are preparing the first two rounds of MotoGP this year. Qatar hosts the first race of MotGP Championship every season in Qatar. The races held in Qatar always attract a large number of fans every year.
“Due to the current situation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Qatar was selected to two host two races this year. This will come after pre-season testing that will take place at the same venue from next week.
“Qatar has proven itself as a sports hub even in times of COVID-19 pandemic. Qatar has been hosting top sports events in the last few months. Qatar has staged events like the FIFA Club World Cup and Australian Open qualifiers besides matches of the AFC Champions League. This shows the hosting capacity of Qatar even in testing times.
“We have adopted the MOPH protocols and we shall will follow all health and safety measures at our venue and places of stay of the visiting riders and teams. We would like to thank the authorities in Qatar for helping us get ready for these two races.
“The pre-season testing activities will commence from March 7. We are working hard on a daily basis. We are happy with the progress we have made at our level.
“We are excited that new floodlights - that are technically superior then previous ones – have been installed and tested. They old lights were used for more than 10 years and technology has changed. We have more control over the system now. They are environmentally better and they consume less energy and so far it is going well,” Al Mannai said.