MotoGP Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta joined the comms box for a pit stop on Friday in Mugello, talking through a few key points following the high profile incidents last time out in Barcelona.<\/p>\n
From Race Direction to teams, manufacturers, riders and the championship itself, the stock take always takes place across the paddock whenever there is any incident where the sport can work together to improve.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter Barcelona, Race Direction and us together, we wanted to align all the teams as soon as possible, see if there\u2019s anything to improve on, speak to the teams, and we speak to the riders in the safety commission,\u201d says Ezpeleta. \u201cAfter every incident we have to see what we can learn from, what we can improve. I think there\u2019s consensus between the teams that the regulations and the process that was followed in Barcelona was correct. That was, I think, a correct starting point.\u201d<\/p>\n
The restarts and procedure is the purview of Race Direction, as Ezpeleta explains.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Race Direction spoke to the teams yesterday, they agreed that the process that was followed was correct. Obviously there was nothing wrong with the track, by the time it was decided both races would be restarted, both riders were conscious by that time, out of big danger, so that was the process that was followed. That is Race Direction\u2019s decision.\u201d<\/p>\n
In terms of the teams, manufacturers and bikes, there is also plenty under discussion.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are things to improve on that we\u2019re starting to consider with the teams,\u201d explains Ezpeleta. \u201cOne being the grid itself, if there\u2019s a change for a consideration to be taken to leave more space between the riders, leaving more space to manoeuvre going into Turn 1. The other one is the holeshots in general.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are two things on the bikes we want to look into: one is protection around the rear wheel, the swing arm area, following Johann\u2019s crash. The other is if there\u2019s a bike failure like Pedro had, giving some warning to bikes approaching that area, which in Alex\u2019 case probably wouldn\u2019t have changed much because he was so close to Pedro but maybe on other occasions when it could really make a difference. So four areas we\u2019re looking into, it\u2019s not possible to react in time for this weekend, but I think those four areas are ones where we could make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
The grid design is one that will also be put to riders, who always have chance to give their input in the Safety Commission, which takes place every Friday evening at Grands Prix.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the grid design, there\u2019s been consensus that we should consider that, unanimous with all 11 teams, and we\u2019ll speak to the riders today about what makes most sense,\u201d underlines Ezpeleta. \u201cThere is thought that we should do it as soon as possible but no later than 2027, changing the grid is a major change to the sport, on some occasions given space from the start line to the last turn, we might have to change bigger things on the circuit.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the holeshot devices, it\u2019s a conversation that has an expiration date because the holeshot devices will not be here in 2027 due to the new regulations, so that is a conversation about what can we do this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
The discussion there is already well underway: \u201cThe proposal and consideration is at all tracks in general, but it\u2019s obvious that there are two remaining circuits where the braking into T1 is not that great that you might have the risk of not disengaging the holeshot device. That consideration is now on the manufacturers table and they\u2019ll have to consider it at all circuits.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another topic under consideration from manufactures is the swingarm and nature of Zarco\u2019s crash. \u201cUnfortunately Johann\u2019s incident is the most graphic one we\u2019ve seen but not the only time we\u2019ve seen it in the sport. It\u2019s on the manufacturers to decide but we don\u2019t think it\u2019s that far-fetched to come up with a solution,\u201d explains Ezpeleta.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve spoken to a couple of the riders and I think it\u2019s important when they come to the Safety Commission to talk. I also think it was important for things to cool off after Barcelona, the incidents were very graphic unfortunately. I was at an event at Red Bull Ring on the Tuesday with Pedro, Brad, Toprak and Enea, and after 48 hours, having cooled down a bit more, they were more inline with the decisions that had been taken.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext year, there’ll be a big step in the regulations which should make the sport not only safer, which is the number one objective, but make the sport even better. It’s something we’re all looking forward to. A lot has been done but there’s still a lot more to do and coming into a weekend like this it’s important that we’re having those conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n
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