Due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, MotoGP has implemented measures designed to ease the financial impact on the participants of the championship.

MotoGP and its teams voted unanimously for the implementation of proposals that includes changes to the technical regulation for the 2020 and 2021 regulation.

“A very positive and fruitful electronic meeting between MotoGP™ manufacturers and representatives of the organisation was recently held in order to share views and discuss a range of topics, from calendar revisions to proposed changes to the technical regulations for the 2020 and 2021 seasons,” read the MotoGP statement.

Prior to these changes, all manufacturers that don’t qualify for concessions have to homologate an engine specification for the whole season, preventing them from any updates during the championship campaign. In contrast to them, manufacturers with concessions didn’t have this limitation and were allowed to introduce modifications to their engines.

In terms of the aerodynamics of the bikes, all manufacturers were allowed two aero body designs per rider per season; the one they started with at Qatar plus one upgrade.

The technical changes mean that “there will be no update of any homologated parts during the 2020 season. This applies to all manufacturers, both Non-Concession and Concession.”

For the 2021 season, Both Non-Concession and Concession manufacturers must start the 2021 season using March 2020 homologated parts. “Thereafter, normal upgrade regulations will apply for the rest of the 2021 season as per current regulations meaning no engine evolution for non-concession manufacturers and only one aero-body update per rider for all manufacturers”

Further delays to the season

The start of the 2020 MotoGP season has been pushed back even further after the German Grand Prix organisers agreed with Dorna Sports about the postponement of the event. The race at the Sachsenring in eastern German was scheduled for 21 June and was set to kick off the season after the races proceeding the German meeting had all been called off.

ADAC which is responsible for the organisation of the race communicated that it is in talks with the Commercial Rights’ Holder of the sport to find an alternative date for the event.

“The health of fans and everyone involved is always the top priority. The purchased tickets remain valid for the new date. We ask our loyal fans for some patience,” said ADAC.

The race in Qatar has been cancelled for the premier class, only the Moto2 and Moto3 managed to hold its races. After the disrupted Qatar event, the grands prix in Spain, France, Italy, Spain-Catalunya and Germany have all been postponed with the latest announcement leaving the Dutch Grand Prix set to kick off the season.