MotoGP enters 2016 season with updated regulations
The 2016 Season is expected to be an interesting one with new regulation updates for the upcoming MotoGP campaign. The revised sporting regulations denote a reduced idle time to restart an interrupted race, across all classes. There are also track familiarization and penalties for using engines over allocation in the 2016 sporting regulations rulebook.
In the MotoGP and Moto3 classes, where more than one extra engine is taken at a single event then penalties for the second and any subsequent extra engines will be carried forward to the next event(s).
For the technical regulations, riders are required to consult with major suppliers of helmets, leathers, boots and more. In line with the appointment of Michelin as the official tyre supplier, the allocations of slick tyres have been modified. Riders will now be permitted to use a maximum of 22 tyres (10 front and 12 rear). For wet tyres the allocation is a maximum of 7 front and 7 rear. In addition, riders will now also have the option of an intermediate tyre with a maximum allocation of 3 front and 3 rear.
The new season’s calendar doesn’t look all that much different from the previous season, except from switches here and there. The Grand Prix of Qatar kicks things off as usual at the Losail International Circuit, from 19 – 20 March. Second round from 2 – 3 April, which was previously ran at the COTA (Circuit of the Americas), is now passed on to the Termas de Rio Honda in Argentina. COTA is scheduled to hold the third round from 9 – 10 April.
The European leg begins in Spain at the Jerez de la Frontera track from 23 – 24 April, then the Bugatti track of Le Mans from 7 – 8 May and the Mugello circuit in Italy, 21- 22 May. Round 6 remains in Europe for the Catalan track in Barcelona, followed by Round 7’s TT Assen from 25 – 26 June and Germany’s Sachsenring, 16 – 17 July.
At the halfway mark of the season, MotoGP remains in Europe for the Grand Prix of Austria at the Red Bull Ring, 13 – 14 August. The Czech Republic hosts round 11 at the Brno track, while Silverstone, Misano and Aragon conduct rounds 12, 13 and 14 through the month of September.
MotoGP squads then make the trip to the Far East for the flyaway races, starting with the Grand Prix of Japan at the Twin Ring Motegi, from 15 – 16 October. From Japan, they move to Philip Island for round 16, 22 – 23 October. The penultimate race is set for the Grand Prix of Malaysia at Sepang circuit, 29 – 30 October, and then the finale at the usual Ricardo Tormo track in Valencia, 12 – 13 November.
2016 MotoGP Season calendar
1 20/03 Qatar Losail International Circuit
2 03/04 Argentina Termas de Río Hondo
3 10/04 Americas Circuit Of The Americas
4 24/04 Spain Jerez de la Frontera
5 08/05 France Le Mans
6 22/05 Italy Mugello
7 05/06 Catalunya Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
8 26/06 Netherlands TT Assen
9 17/07 Germany Sachsenring
10 14/08 Austria Red Bull Ring
11 21/08 Czech Republic Brno
12 04/09 Great Britain Silverstone
13 11/09 San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini Misano
14 25/09 Aragon MotorLand Aragon
15 16/10 Japan Twin Ring Motegi
16 23/10 Australia Phillip Island
17 30/10 Malaysia Sepang International Circuit
18 13/11 Valencia Comunitat Valenciana – Ricardo Tormo
