"We have a contract with Dorna that says Qatar will host the opening race up to 2016 and that's it."
Despite facing pressure to move its night race to later in the year, in order to avoid the cold conditions experienced at the inaugural March 9 event, Qatar is refusing to surrender its place as the season-opening event on the MotoGP calendar.
"We have a contract with Dorna that says Qatar will host the opening race up to 2016 and that's it," Qatar Motor and Motorcycling Federation president Nasser Khalifa al-Attiyah told the Gulf Times.
With few complaints from riders over track visibility, the cold temperatures - which dropped to around 15°C, producing significant problems for the tyre manufacturers - were considered the biggest drawback for the groundbreaking event.
Indeed, reigning world champion Casey Stoner, Valentino Rossi and Loris Capirossi have now formally requested that the event be moved to a date when temperatures would be warmer.
"We asked to move the race to a little bit later because at night when the temperature drops it is a bit too cold for the tyres," Capirossi told the official MotoGP website. "We spoke a lot with the Qatar officials and they say in April it can be minimum of five or six degrees hotter and that it is not bad.
"To have 20 degrees on the ground at 11pm is better than 13. Dorna is really open to understand this request. Qatar wants the first race of the season and that's the same for next year and maybe we can start the season later."
So when might the 2009 MotoGP season start? Early April looks most likely, with Al-Attiyah stating that the Qatar event could take place either a week before or after the Bahrain F1 GP, which will take place on April 6 this year.
"A week before or after the Formula One is a good option from a business and marketing point of view because motor sport fans can take in both events on a 10-12 day Gulf trip," he said.
"Normally, it tends to get hotter at the end of February, but this year it was not the case," he added, referring to an extended winter spell that has affected the region this year.
crash.net
Despite facing pressure to move its night race to later in the year, in order to avoid the cold conditions experienced at the inaugural March 9 event, Qatar is refusing to surrender its place as the season-opening event on the MotoGP calendar.
"We have a contract with Dorna that says Qatar will host the opening race up to 2016 and that's it," Qatar Motor and Motorcycling Federation president Nasser Khalifa al-Attiyah told the Gulf Times.
With few complaints from riders over track visibility, the cold temperatures - which dropped to around 15°C, producing significant problems for the tyre manufacturers - were considered the biggest drawback for the groundbreaking event.
Indeed, reigning world champion Casey Stoner, Valentino Rossi and Loris Capirossi have now formally requested that the event be moved to a date when temperatures would be warmer.
"We asked to move the race to a little bit later because at night when the temperature drops it is a bit too cold for the tyres," Capirossi told the official MotoGP website. "We spoke a lot with the Qatar officials and they say in April it can be minimum of five or six degrees hotter and that it is not bad.
"To have 20 degrees on the ground at 11pm is better than 13. Dorna is really open to understand this request. Qatar wants the first race of the season and that's the same for next year and maybe we can start the season later."
So when might the 2009 MotoGP season start? Early April looks most likely, with Al-Attiyah stating that the Qatar event could take place either a week before or after the Bahrain F1 GP, which will take place on April 6 this year.
"A week before or after the Formula One is a good option from a business and marketing point of view because motor sport fans can take in both events on a 10-12 day Gulf trip," he said.
"Normally, it tends to get hotter at the end of February, but this year it was not the case," he added, referring to an extended winter spell that has affected the region this year.
crash.net