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MotoGP logistics in place for
transfer to Jerez
After the postponement of the Japanese MotoGP, event organiser Dorna Sports has planned and prepared transportation for the return of all necessary cargo for the next round at Jerez. And what an exercise in logistics a single GP round can be!
The three Boeing 747 aeroplanes used to transport the 270 tonnes of
materials necessary for every round on the MotoGP calendar have been
fully prepared to return to Europe from Japan, to ensure that everything
arrives at the Jerez circuit in time for the second race of the 2010
season.
More than 100 prototype motorcycles that participate in the World
Championship, along with the rest of the materials used by teams and the
organisation, were moved from the scene of the opening GP of the year
in Qatar to Japan last week. After the postponement of the Grand Prix of
Japan the cargo must now return to Europe for the next date on the
calendar, the Gran Premio bwin de España which is scheduled to take
place at Jerez de la Frontera on May 2nd.
As a prevision for the possibility that the air travel restrictions
put in place due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland are prolonged in
the coming days, those responsible for operations within Dorna have
established a logistical operation which includes plans for two
alternative routes of the transportation of the cargo.
The three freight airliners will make their journey in stages
starting on Sunday. The first two planes, from specialist company Nippon
Cargo Airlines, will leave Narita International Airport (near Tokyo)
and pass through Helsinki in Finland before arriving at Seville airport
on the mornings of Monday April 26th and Tuesday 27th respectively. In
case of any difficulties with the scheduled route, the two planes could
use an American route, whereby they would pass through Anchorage
(Alaska) and New York, before arriving in Seville at the aforementioned
times.
The third Boeing 747, from American company Atlas, will also leave
Narita but will take a Siberian route, stopping off in Karaganda
(Kazakhstan) and is scheduled to arrive in Seville on the afternoon of
Tuesday 27th.
The materials transported to every round of the World Championship
amasses to 270 tonnes of cargo, packed into 600 cases that carry the
bikes and team materials (180 tonnes), the Dorna equipment needed for TV
broadcasting (50 tonnes), advertising materials (23 tonnes), timing
equipment (seven tonnes), and the official BMW cars and motorbikes of
the World Championship (5.5 tonnes).
Source: MotoGP.com