MotoGP – Buddh track worries, drivers are skeptical

For the fourteenth round of the MotoGP championship, the entire paddock goes to India to the Buddh circuit. After 10 years that Formula 1 has been running on the Indian track, the drivers will discover a completely new track. The end of the European tour has just ended and for 9 weeks the drivers will complete circuits on the Asian continent. If the Grand Prix became possible, it is because of the numerous works that were carried out. Wider clearance areas to add gravel and partial resurfacing of the track was done. Despite all these improvements, some drivers do not feel reassured by the progress of the work despite the delay in the homologation of the circuit. During the Catalunya Grand Prix, Aleix Espargaro spoke on the subject. The last sector poses a problem.

“We are not relaxed. I am really looking forward to going to India, the track looks very good. It is a fast track which can be good for the Aprilia. But we have asked several times to see the work that is being done and, until now, we have not been told anything. La Dorna tells us to stay calm, that they are working and that everything is on time. So we have to trust and hope that it will be a safe circuit. A long time ago, [Massimo] Rivola showed me a bend – I think it was the last – in which there was a wall very close. It was like Indianapolis, crazy! If there is a wall there, we won’t be able to run, no chance. At the last corner, they removed some asphalt and tightened it towards the inside, they painted the outside to have more space with the wall.”

La Dorna tries to reassure

Last Friday, Dorna, organizer of the championship, showed several videos of certain turns to the drivers. But as always the last portion of the circuit is debated. Walls are present on the edges of the track, providing no reassurance regarding safety. Alex Marquez is not at all convinced.

“We saw videos. There are three corners outside of which the wall is quite close. The vibrator will be painted as in Austria, further inside, to avoid [d’y passer]. I think this is not the best solution. As I have often said, we are in the World Championship, not in a regional series. We’ll see when we get there. They did a very good job, but we will have to see if it is enough. If we get there and it’s safe to run, we’ll be the first to want to run. But we will have to be really clear on this point, to know whether it is safe or not. We will see it in EL1, when all the bikes will be [en piste].”

We indians have finally got budhh circuit back,just somewhere else https://t.co/iCP9SmU42w

— Nav | Sara, Sadie Lee Simp (@DisgustedNav) June 14, 2022