14 March 2019 / Text Size
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A fire in the newly-built E-paddock has destroyed the majority of material for the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup
At around 00:15 early on the 14th of March during the second preseason MotoE test at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, the E-Paddock for the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup caught fire, causing major damages and losses. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
A statement from the organisers confirmed that the fire “destroyed the majority of material” and that an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the inferno.
“Fortunately there have been no injuries. An update will follow in the coming hours regarding the exact causes of the fire and any subsequent changes to the calendar,” the MotoGP statement read.
The fire is thought to have broken out at 12.15am local time at the Circuito de Jerez.
“We don’t know 100% at the moment [what caused the fire],” former MotoGP rider Loris Capirossi, who has been helping MotoE with its electric bike development, told CNN.
“We’ve started to study to really understand what happened. We know for sure we didn’t have one bike on charge, because we don’t leave bikes charging overnight, so we already know it didn’t come from that region.”
The all-electric series was planned to serve as a supplement to MotoGP and race on the same weekend, with 12 teams signing up for the MotoE World Cup last year.
The entire field had attended the test day ahead of the championship’s scheduled start at the Spanish Grand Prix on May 5 but it is yet unclear whether this will go ahead has planned.
MotoE confirmed the championship will still take place in 2019 but a revised calendar will be announced in due course.
13 March 2019
MotoE riders have completed the first of three days in southern Spain and it’s the Brazilian who leads the way
A 1:48.984 from Eric Granado (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) sees the Brazilian rider top the standings on Day 1 of the official MotoE Jerez Test, heading Niki Tuuli (Ajo Motorsport MotoE) by 0.433 with Hector Garzo (Tech 3 E-racing) third.
The FIM Enel MotoE World Cup riders got their first piece of Energica Ego Corsa action of the year underway, with their last test coming at the end of November in 2018. Tricky conditions met the riders at that particular test but there were no such worries on Wednesday in Jerez, with the teams donning their 2019 liveries for the first time out on track.
Just over half a second back from Granado in fourth place on Day 1 was Mike Di Meglio (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), with Alex De Angelis (Alma Pramac Racing) completing the top five that were covered by 0.591. Teammate Josh Hook was seventh, the Australian sitting ahead of Randy De Puniet (LCR E-Team) and Bradley Smith (One Energy Racing) – seventh and eighth respectively for the duo, with just over a second covering the top eight riders on Wednesday.
