ily has worked pretty well for
Carmelo and Co, considerably
enriching the clan, and creat-
ing a dynasty. And to be fair, it's
worked pretty well for MotoGP,
too. Mostly.
Starting back in 1991, the
company has expanded the
calendar, attracted more factory
entries and introduced leveling-
up technology that may have
destroyed most of the technical
value of the sport, but led to
much closer racing, with better
chances for more than just the
factory teams.
Most especially they have
made an exemplary TV show,
pioneering aspects of on-board
technology and exploiting
ultra-slow motion to maximized
viewer involvement.
In the past couple of years,
Dorna determinedly endured the
big bump of Covid, maintaining
business as close to usual as
possible. Then came a tricky re
-
turn to the new normal last year,
with crowds dwindling espe-
cially in Italy after the departure
of Valentino Rossi.
Now, however, Dorna is
claiming a bounce-back, after
strong attendance at Jerez
and a new record crowd at the
most recent race at Le Mans.
On top, a 27 percent increase in
TV figures, according to Dorna's
latest crowing release. Mugello
next weekend will prove an acid
test—last year saw a big slump.
But overall, it's looking like a
good job.
They might trumpet that
T
he recruiting of Dorna's
new promotions chief,
introduced earlier this
season at the USGP, represents
a major shift in policy—a break
with tradition—for the company
that controls MotoGP.
Firstly, new guy Dan Ros-
somondo is not a member of
CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta's fam-
ily (or at least not as far as we
know), making it a very unusual
appointment in a senior team
already comprising his son
and daughter and at least two
in-laws.
Secondly (to be a bit more
serious), he's not even Spanish.
For a senior position in the com
-
pany to be bestowed in this way
hasn't happened for decades.
So far, keeping it in the fam-
P136
CN II IN THE PADDOCK
BY MICHAEL SCOTT
GILDING THE
GRAND PRIX LILY
