TTXGP, FIM Together Again?

Motorcycle.com Staff
by Motorcycle.com Staff
The International Motorcycling Federation and the TTXGP appear to be mending fences.

The TTXGP released a preliminary 2011 schedule for its electric motorcycle racing series. The bigger news however is the TTXGP also announced the possibility of holding joint rounds with the FIM’s ePower series.

An announcement from the TTXGP reads: “In the spirit of collaboration and with the common goal of promoting electric clean emission racing; The FIM and TTXGP have opened the possibility of holding a selection of joint rounds to allow the teams the best possible stage to promote the sport, the technology and the message to the next generation of motorsport.” The TTXGP also holds open the possibility of a final unifying World Championship event in October.

Michael Barnes and the Lightning Team won the 2010 North American TTXGP Championship.

The FIM and the TTXGP worked together in 2009 to host an electric motorcycle race at the Isle of Man and announced initial plans for a joint series in 2010. Those plans fell through however, with the FIM deciding to start its own rival series, the ePower International Championship.

The fissure between the two organizations (made wider by the Isle of Man’s decision to host its own race, the TT Zero) forced electric motorcycle builders and race teams to make some hard decisions. The TTXGP began signing some of the more established electric bike builders such as Mission and Zero and held championships in North America, the United Kingdom and Italy. The FIM had a much smaller field of competitors with an eclectic group of race teams with the exception of MotoCzysz, but had the advantage of holding its events as undercards during select MotoGP, World Superbike and World Endurance Championship rounds.

MotoCzysz was victorious at the FIM ePower series' Laguna Seca round and the Zero TT at the Isle of Man.

The preliminary 2011 TTXGP calendar will once again consist of three regional series.

North America will again host a four-round TTXGP series with two rounds coinciding with AMA Pro Racing events at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., and Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Va. The other two rounds are still to be confirmed, with Portland International Raceway in Portland, Ore., penciled into the schedule.

The U.K. and Italian championships will not be returning. In their places are a new six-round European series and a four-round Australian series to be held alongside Australia’s Superbike Championship.

TTXGP North America Championship 2011

  • 14-15.05 Infineon Raceway (USA) 16-17.07 Portland International Raceway (USA) (TBC)
Round 3 TBC 13-14.08 VIRginia International Raceway (USA)

TTXGP Euro Championship 2011

  • 18-19.06 Silverstone (GBR)
  • 01-02.07 SPA Francorchamps (BEL)
  • 06-07.08 Assen (NLD)
  • 20-21.08 Donington Park (GBR) TBC
  • 03-04.09 Karlskoga (SWE)
  • 23-24.09 Le Mans (FRA) TBC

eFXC/TTXGP Australian Superbike Championship 2011

  • 29-01.05 Wakefield Park Raceway (NSW) TEST
  • 01-03.07 Eastern Creek Raceway (NSW)
  • 02-04.09 Winton Raceway (VIC)
  • 08-09.10 Wakefield Park Raceway (NSW) TBC

TTXGP World Final 2011

  • October TBC

Related Reading
2010 FIM e-Power race at Laguna Seca
FIM Announces Electric Racing Series (With TTXGP)
FIM Announces Electric Racing Series (Without TTXGP)
Isle of Man TT Splits with TTXGP
TTXGP Disappointed with FIM
2009 TTXGP Results

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