MC24 has broken news that the 2010 eGrandPrix race season will now culminate with a championship race organized by the European Motorcycle Union at Spain's Albacete circuit. The date has yet to be announced, but the addition of this championship gives the fledgling electric motorcycle racing organization not only four-race national series in the UK and Italy and three races in North America, but also a headline event at the Isle of Man TT and now an officially sanctioned European Championship event. That makes the FIM and its e-Power series look a little silly. After splitting with TTXGP and stealing its rules, the FIM is left with something it calls a "World Championship," but no participating teams and only a handful of tentative dates.
UEM was quick to support TTXGP, and particularly Silvio Manicardi (President of Marketing, Promotion & Industry Commission) has from the beginning been one of TTXGP its main backers. Manicardi is also a mechanical engineer, and has a very nice review of the situation for electric bikes in the UEM-magazine from earlier this year.
UEM racing has traditionally been overseen by the FIM. But this new direction doesn’t seem to worry UEM-president Vincenzo Mazzi, giving Azhar Hussain and TTXGP credit towards initiating racing for electric motorcycles.
- Azhar Hussain organized the first "real" race for electric motorcycles on the Isle of Man TT. He's still working at it and has convinced UEM to arrange the TTXGP final as part of the European Championship in Albacete. Electric racing has a bright future and will grow with more races, tracks, riders and motorcycles. UEM will be a world leader in developing this technology. UEM has worked to improve the status of the European Championship title, and is now supporting EM, allowing the best riders from each nation to compete. This means that TTXGP stands in for existing national divisions, European Championship finals and the Isle of Man TT, while the FIM so far has a World Series without participants.
Plans call for FIM to deliver something more for their new World Cup series for electric motorcycles. At the same level, TTXGP is upping the fight to deliver the most important series for electric motorcycles after the FIM broke from their collaboration with them a few weeks ago. FIM might want to also consider upgrading their own series from Cup to World Championship Series (FIMs highest championship level) now that they’ve kicked out TTXGP and took over the series alone. As of today, it still appears as if TTXGP will be able to provide both a stronger participant field and more attractive races.
Full list of circuits, dates and participating teams below:
TTXGP UK series
3rd & 4th July Cadwell Park
17th & 18th July Snetterton
11th September Castle Combe
2nd & 3rd October Brands Hatch
TTXGP North America Championship
May 14-16, 2010: Infineon
July 8 - 11, 2010: Mosport
August 13 - 15, 2010: VIR
TTXGP Italian series
June 27: Magione
July 25: Franciacorta
September 5: Franciacorta
September 26: Mugello
TTXGP Final / UEM European Championship
Date TBA: Albacete, Spain
TTXGP at 2010 Isle of Man TT races
May 29th - June 11th, 2010: Isle of Man
Teams so far:
Electric Motorsport Inc. (EMS), winners of the TTXGP Isle of Man 2009 Open Class
Mission Motors
Zero Motorcycles
Team Agni
CRP Racing
FIM e-Power
April 18: France Le Mans (Opening race of the Le Mans 24hours) May 22: Spain Albacete (Opening race of the Albacete 8hours)
September 12: France Nevers-Magny Cours (Opening race of the Bol d'Or)
November 13: Qatar Doha (Opening race of the Doha 8 hours)
Note: FIM is also looking to aid e-Power as support races to MotoGP and WSB with
via MC24.no, Hell for Leather
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