From 2019, the MotoGP World Championship was updated by the addition of an electric category to the calendar with the FIM Enel MotoE. While the third season of the competition concluded a few weeks ago with Spaniard Jordi Torres being crowned for second year in a row, regulatory changes have just been adopted for the 2022 campaign.
The Series high command, headed by Carmelo Ezpeleta, representative of Dorna Sports, and Paul Duparc, member of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, approved a new qualifying format.
Until now, MotoE riders had to compete on an E-Pole, a very different round from other motorsport events, where each pilot was entitled to a single lap to establish the time that would define his place on the starting grid.
What are the changes?
In order to establish a new qualifying system, the category will adopt a rhythm quite similar to Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP. The riders will take part in two free practice sessions on Friday.
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The ten slowest riders at the end of the second session will be included into the first Q1 qualifying session on Saturday. They will be able to ride for 10 minutes with no lap limit. Then, the best two will move on to the next round. During the 10-minute break, they will be able to recharge their motorcycle at a pitlane and benefit from an extra rear tire.
The second qualifying session Q2 will be contested like the first one, with the same time margin and no lap limit featuring the top eight riders from free practice and the top two from Q1. The Q2 results will give the starting order for the two races of the weekend; one on Saturday and one on Sunday.
The MotoE High Commission made these adjustments with the objective of simplifying the understanding of the discipline and, above all, to offer a more equal round of competition for all riders.
Written by I Jhonattan González