MotoGP: More checks needed for wet Qatar night race
Further checks wi✤ll be needed before a final decision is made on whether MotoGP can race under the floodlights in the rain.
Qatar hosts MotoGP's♎ only night race and the final hour of the March pre-season test saw the circ▨uit artificially soaked by tankers to study the feasibility of racing in such conditions, after previous rain delays during the grand prix.
While the riders felt the conditions as tested were acceptable for racing, concerns remain about the visibility🦋 in ꧂real rain.
Further checks will be needed before a final decision is made on whether MotoGP can race uꦰnder the floodlights in the rain.
Qatar hosts MotoGP's only night race and the final hour of the March pre-season test saw the circuit artificially soaked by tankers to study the feasibility of raওcing in such conditions, after previous rain delays during the grand prix.
While the riders felt the conditions as tested were acceptable for ra🥂cing, concerns remain about the visibility in real rain.
Dorna's Sporting Manager Carlos Ezpeleta said: "There were mixed votes in the Safety Commission. So [♊the final decision] is postpo൲ned.
"Basically, under the conditions of the test,꧑ which was aꦍrtificially wet, the riders said it was okay.
"But they still had doubts about a downpour of🐬 real rain. So that would have to be checked and obviouslyౠ we can't simulate that artificially."
The 2009 Qatar race was postponed until the following night due to a rainstorm, while rain and associated drainage problems at the 2017 event cau✱sed qualifying to be cancelled and a 45-minute delay to the race start.
The MotoGP start time was moved from 9pm to 7pm for this year's season-opening grand prix, giving organisers more flexibility in terms of any weather changes.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Vale✃ntino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit 💃story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
