Riders call for Red Bull Ring modifications over safety

Riders have called on organisers to consider making changes to the Turn 3 area of the Red Bull Ring in part because of the huge crash between Johann Zarco and Franco Morbidelli in the Austrian MotoGP.

The pair escaped serious injury in a high-speed collision on the run up to the Turn 3 right-hander, while both Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales were immensely lucky to be missed by both bikes that came threading at speed between them.

It has once more shone a light on the Red Bull Ring for its safety, with riders already going into the weekend worried about the slipperiness of the track in wet conditions. Indeed, owners Red Bull Ring made a number of changes to the outer parts of the track to allow MotoGP to visit from 2017 but the Turn2/3 area remains a concern.

However, riders are hesitant to call on changes to Turn 3 – where it is possible for a bike to crash on the run and go across the inside into a passing bike, as shown today – with podium winners Andrea Dovizioso, Joan Mir and Jack Miller saying it is important to have variety.

However, they are concerned about the proximity of the wall on left-hand side and want it to be moved back for 2021.

“Every time there is this type of layout, it’s normal if something happens then you could hit others, so this is not that safe but you can’t always do tracks in the same way,” Dovizioso said. “To improve the safety – and we have spoken to the Safety Commission – the wall on the left normally is a bit more dangerous.

“When you see this type of situation like today, it’s true that this is a dangerous point but there are many tracks that have this characteristic with braking with angle and we can’t change all of them,” Suzuki’s Mir added. “Like Dovi said I think it is important to move the wall that is on the left is to have a bit more safety but not to change everything.

Using the example of his accident at Le Mans in 2017, Miller says is he worried there will be a more serious accident there one day.

“I think another big thing is that area of track, we can’t have all tracks being the same, there are going to be some elements of danger there but I have been in a position to pass someone there and you have to weigh up the risks.

“The bike is moving already, the wind makes so much difference but the biggest thing for sure is if I have a lock, you got into the wall on the left and it wouldn’t be pretty, like what I did at Le Mans. They have moved it once but it needs to be further.”