MotoGP: Dorna extend contract with IRTA

MotoGP bosses Dorna have extended their contract with the International Race Team Association by five more years, extending their link with the teams and riders representatives to an impressive thirty years.

Speaking in a press conference at Assen yesterday, Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said it was a pleasure to work with IRTA secretary general Mike Trimby.

“We started in 1992, this is 25 years ago, the first thing we did was agree with the organisation who represent teams and riders on how we need to run the championship. This is the sixth agreement we’ve made, we announced five years ago here in Assen the renewal until now.

“We are very proud about this renewal. IRTA has been a very important part of the new system of the championship. This agreement will also be a new template with the MotoGP class which we already announced with IRTA, helping the teams more from 2017 to 2021.

“Very proud and extremely happy to keep working with IRTA, very happy to announce the renewal till 2021. The normal procedure is five years by five years, for me I’m sure IRTA will stay here forever. I want to say a special thank you to Mike Trimby, he created IRTA.”

IRTA President and Monster Tech 3 Yamaha boss Herve Poncharal echoed Ezpeleta’s words, applauding the new contract that the MotoGP partner organisations have negotiated.

“As IRTA President I am representing all the teams on the grid, this is incredible news to stay for five years. Everything is now so smooth between the FIM, Dorna, IRTA and the MSMA, which makes our lives like a dream to negotiate the new contract.

“The new contract is everything we had hoped for, more stability for the teams with financial support. Thanks to the new rules we will have six manufactures in MotoGP from next year, this give Independent Teams many more options.”