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MOTOGP: Dorna Prepares Emergency Airlift for Japanese GP
With airspace closed over most of Europe, Dorna has provisionally booked two charter flights "just in case."
SPEED Staff  |  Posted April 17, 2010  
(Photo: Honda Pro Images)

With airspace closed over most of Europe and FIM Grand Prix teams scheduled to fly out for the Japanese Grand Prix on Monday and Tuesday of next week, Dorna has provisionally booked two charter flights capable of carrying 600 persons to Japan where all the racing freight already waits on the ground.

As is usual GP practice, all freight (bikes, tools, spares, timing equipment) was crated up immediately after the Grand Prix of Qatar and flown out to Japan where it was trucked to Motegi and is ready for pickup by teams there.

Teams make their own bookings for staff and riders with most flights leaving from northern European hubs like London, Amsterdam, Paris, etc. With 80% of all European flights cancelled for the weekend of April 17-18 and in doubt for Monday when many teams depart, series promoter Dorna has, as reported exclusively by the Spanish website Motocuatro.com, quickly prepared an emergency airlift in case the situation does not improve.

Dorna’s “Plan B” would consist of charter flights leaving from Spain and Italy that would make their way to Japan via Istanbul and Kuala Lumpar, ensuring the running of the second GP of the 18-round season. Official practice begins on Friday, April 23.

The current cancellations of 80% of flights into and out of Europe, caused by ash clouds from the Eyjafjalla irruption in Iceland, is expected to continue at least until Monday. If winds do not shift the situation will extend unabated into the first part of next week, causing cancellation of almost all flights carrying teams to Japan.

The Japanese Grand Prix is followed on the next weekend (April 30-May2) by the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez de la Frontera in southern Spain. Dorna's airlift would bring teams back to southern Europe in time. Teams would send their trucks to the designated Spanish and Italian airports to pick up freight, which would be loaded immediately after the Japanese GP and flown out on Monday, April 3rd.

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