Discontented rumblings about the Silverstone resurfacing debacle continued, with Marc Marquez saying that the track needs a complete resurfacing, “but in a good way”, before it will be possible to hold a MotoGP race there.
“Now we know, but only after the race, that they had already had problems there before,” he continued – a slur on Dorna’s track homologation system.
Other riders spoke about races that had been able to go ahead in much wetter conditions, including at Silverstone before the 2018 resurfacing debacle.
Marquez said the problem was more to do with the asphalt than the amount of rain. “In 2015, it was raining more,” he said. “At Motegi also.” This year’s GP had been cancelled in relatively light rain.
Rossi won the sodden 2015 race, and said: “It was very rainy and slippery … but it was okay. This year the water remained on the track.”
Lorenzo said: “I was one who went straight on in FP4. Before arriving there [at Turn Seven] it was almost dry, then in fourth or fifth gear it was like another world. I closed the throttle, but it was not enough to stop the bike.”
Jack Miller, the only rider at the impromptu Sunday afternoon Safety Commission meeting to vote to race, remained a dissenting voice, telling press: “I think we quit too early;” and continuing: “where the aquaplaning was, you could avoid the racing line and go down the inside, and it was dry. It was a case of having to ride to the conditions.”
Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpeleta told Spanish TV that in future races would not be cancelled, but run on the Monday or Tuesday.
Teams had vetoed racing on Monday at Silverstone in spite of a national holiday and the forecast of good weather because several including Yamaha had tests scheduled at Aragon in the week after the race.
By Michael Scott
Photos GnG
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- Rossi leaving the grid, British MotoGP race 2018
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- road sweepers, rain, British MotoGP race 2018