After several falls in the new chicane, called RACC (named after the local automobile club), in green above, during Friday's MotoGP tests, several motorcycles found themselves immobile in the middle of the asphalt, causing problems. risks to both drivers and marshals.
It was therefore decided to use the old chicane, in red above provided for F1, known in the paddock as the "Miller chicane" after the Australian driver who used it diligently this Friday.
There was a drivers' meeting Friday evening in their safety committee, and almost everyone voted in favor of using the Miller chicane, except Jorge Lorenzo, Johann Zarco and Scott Redding. The drivers' suggestion to use the old chicane was ultimately accepted by a majority, which allowed the organizers to absolve themselves of liability in the event of an accident, with the decision to modify being attributed to the drivers.
Speaking about the decision taken by the Safety Commission to return to the old chicane on the Montmeló route, MotoGP Safety Advisor Loris Capirossi explained:
“In the Safety Commission, some drivers complained about the new route. They said the work was not done properly and there were a lot of dents. And it is for this reason that it was decided to return to last season's route.
“That’s what we’re here for, to ensure that the circuit used tomorrow is as safe as possible. During testing we also saw many crashes where the bike remained on the track, which is very dangerous when exiting corners.
“We have already experienced the old chicane and we did not have as many incidents. It is for this reason that the pilots made this request. In case of falls, the old one is better. »
Photo © motogp.com
