Motorcycle speed competitions will never be a zero-risk sport, and the events that happened at Spielberg last week are there to remind us of that. This is why there is a Safety Commission, which brings together both the drivers and those responsible for the circuits and the FIM, to look for all the means to improve the safety of the drivers.
Following the incident between Johann Zarco and Franco Morbidelli, some have speculated that MotoGP officials may attempt to use temporary chicanes to reduce the speed at which riders approach turn number 3, and prevent motorcycles traveling at more than 300km/h from hitting other riders.
This is an emergency measure adopted a few years ago at the famous Waterfall corner of the Sachsenring. This turn number 11 of the German track has often been one of the trickiest parts of the track. This corner follows a series of curves and has seen many drivers crash at this point – which reminds us of turn 3 on the Austrian circuit.
It is for this reason that the FIM, supported by Loris Capirossi – the MotoGP safety advisor – decided in 2014 to modify this bend in order to reduce the riders' passing speeds. The layout was not strictly speaking changed during this period, since new steel vibrators were installed on the track and could thus be removed during other competitions.
In the meantime, at Spielberg, it was decided to make some small changes to turn 3 of the Red Bull Ring: the safety guardrails have been modified for this weekend. They are now longer, with a metal barrier protected by an airfence, to prevent a motorcycle going at full speed from cutting into the path of another rider. No further changes are planned for this weekend.
Modifications have been made at Turns 2 and 3 as #MotoGP continue to work together with the riders to keep them as safe as possible 👍
Take a look at what has changed 🔍#AustrianGP 🏁 pic.twitter.com/C7bIGdMd4c
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) August 21
