After a devastating fire ripped through the MotoE paddock before their first test was due to take place, the season opening races have been postponed.

The first two races, due to take place in Jerez (3-5 May) and Le Mans (17-19 May) have now been cancelled. The season opener will now be at Sachsenring on the 5-7 July with the season comprising of 6 rounds.

The second round will be at the Red Bull Ring in Austria before the circus moves to Misano for a double-header. The season will come to an end with a second double-header at Valencia.

The fire, which tore through the entire paddock before testing was able to take place, destroyed all 18 bikes. Thankfully, no one was injured.

After a thorough investigation, Dorna confirmed that the cause was identified as an “electrical short circuit in the charging station”. 

The manufacturer of the bikes, Energica, addressed fears by confirming that the bikes weren’t responsible for the fire.

“The tests we perform on our vehicles are inherited from the tests carried out on road vehicles throughout the years, which respect the safety standards for appropriate use, in every riding situation.”

“Not a single one of our clients has experienced an issue of this sort and in ten years of activity in the electric vehicle industry we have never had a single safety issue, not even in Jerez.

“We are therefore confident and not worried regarding the safety level of our vehicles, both on the road and on the track.”

Revised MotoE 2019 Calendar

Rounds	Date	Venue
1	July 5th – 7th	Sachsenring, Germany
2	August 9th – 11th	Red Bull Ring, Austria
3 & 4	September 13th – 15th	Misano, Italy
5 & 6	November 15th – 17th	Valencia, Spain

Feature Image Credit: MotoGP.com

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Posted on 29th March, 2019 for The Checkered Flag

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