'Angry', 'scared', 'right decision': MotoGP riders told to clean Mandalika track

Was it a glowing example of MotoGP riders working together to salvage day one of the Mandalika test, or an unfair - and potentially dangerous – decision to cover for poor circuit preparation?

Friday morning rain had combined with heavy dust to create muddy conditions for the start of MotoGP's first Indonesian action since Sentul in 1997.

The track activity was soon red-flagged as a result.

But with previous attempts at machine cleaning the surface proving useless, a meeting was held and riders eventually told to complete around 20 laps of the dirty track by 3pm to try and improve the situation.

"We had a meeting to decide either to try to clean the track with a machine, or ride the bikes," confirmed WithU RNF Yamaha's Andrea Dovizioso, who was among those to experience the track in the early treacherous conditions.

"Every rider didn't really want to ride because I went out before the meeting and I can't explain how bad it was. But they had already tried to clean before my outing, at Turns 1 and 2, and I didn't see any difference between those corners and the others.

"So my question was, if you can clean in a better way [with machines] then it's better not to ride [today] and wait until tomorrow. But I don’t think there was the chance to clean in the right way… we didn't have any other chance to ride and so we cleaned the track like this."

As such, 24 MotoGP riders and their prototype machines became the most expensive track cleaners in the world.

"Everybody was scared, but, at the end it [having the riders clean the track] was the right decision," Dovizioso said. "Because the track became acceptable on the normal [racing] line. We could start to understand the track, the lines and the lap time came more normal.

"So, it was the right decision but I think these things didn't have to happen. I mean it was clear how dirty the track was.

"The conditions were unrideable at the beginning. I've never been in this situation. Is a completely different situation than if we compare with Argentina. There was dust everywhere. It was incredible.

"During the day the lap time became more normal but on a narrow line, you couldn't make a mistake! So it was very stressful about that."

KTM's Brad Binder backed the decision to 'make' riders go out and clean the track.

"For me it was the right decision to make everybody ride. They cleaned Turns 1 and 2 [with machines] the way they would clean the whole track but it was not that good. It needs rubber," said the South African.

"It's still filthy and so sketchy off line and easy to wash the front or the rear, especially at the beginning. It was really hard to learn the track because you were not really on the perfect line. You couldn’t go in deep and couldn’t always trust it braking into turns.

"But, it was a good decision to let us all ride and it was more up-to-pace later on."

"Fabio overtook me this morning and I saw his bike, I thought he had crashed because it was like fully dust and mud on the bike," said Takaaki Nakagami. "But to be honest, it was getting better and better and especially in the afternoon, 3pm, 4pm, the grip level was improved a lot. So in the end it was good."

LCR Honda team-mate Alex Marquez said he had suggested making it 'mandatory' for riders to go out and clean the surface.

"In the morning it was very dirty. Everybody was waiting for somebody to clean the track or something like that, but nobody went out. So I gave the idea to Race Direction to make it mandatory to make 20 laps per rider until some hour. So they made it mandatory to make 20 laps per rider before 3pm," he explained.

"So at that moment, everybody started to clean the track, so it was quite good. The line is quite clean. It's true that if you make a small mistake you are out of the clean line and and you can crash.

"But the line is not bad, and the grip from the tarmac and track is not bad. It was just really dirty. But I need to say from grip level, pure grip, it's not bad."

Pramac Ducati's Jorge Martin was among those to fall on Friday, but did so after the track cleaning.

"There was a meeting but I wasn’t there. So I don’t know exactly what they talked about. When they came back they made us ride. It was mandatory to ride 20 laps before 3 o’clock," he confirmed.

"We were all on the track riding. I think it wasn’t the most logical way [to make us clean the track] but it was the fastest. Finally, it wasn’t bad. It was really dangerous at the beginning. But it is what it is. Nothing crazy happened which is good. I had the crash at the end of the day."

Franco Morbidelli, who called the decision "f**king dangerous", and Aleix Espargaro were among those who felt strongly that Friday's events had been a step too far.

"The track was not safe enough to ride. Not at all," said Espargaro, second only to Dovizioso in terms of MotoGP experience among the current grid.

"We are quite used to arrive at a circuit that has a lot of dust. I remember Qatar on Thursdays. It’s okay. But today wasn’t a matter of a bit of dust. Today the track was unrideable. It was completely unsafe.

"The decision they took, the teams with Dorna, to force us to ride all-together just to clean the track, I didn’t like it at all. I was very angry. Obviously, it works. If you put 24 bikes on the track lap-by-lap it cleans it. But it’s not the solution. I’m not here to clean any track."

"First thing it wasn’t safe to ride," he added. "Second, the only person who can push me to ride is Massimo [Rivola, Aprilia Racing boss], and maybe [Piaggio CEO] Colaninno also. Nobody else has the right to push me to go out on track. Especially in a test. If it’s safe I will ride. Even if it’s not safe, I decide when I go."

Espargaro also suggested the controversial decision had been influenced by pressure from manufacturers that badly need all the available the track time.

"I have seven tyres. If I want to go or wait… Why do I need to clean the track for the others? There were some manufacturers that pushed a lot to go on track because they need more time than us," he said.

The Spaniard eventually joined the track cleaning, but only to show solidarity with his fellow riders.

"Okay. I mean, it was not fair. But then I saw all my MotoGP mates riding in very unsafe conditions. I felt bad for them. So I decided to go. But I was very angry and very upset."

'It felt like it was a gun or something. Boom! On my neck'

Aside from the mud, Dovizioso and Alex Marquez revealed they had been hit by small stones.

"The worst part is Turn 1 and the last corner. It's like different tarmac, and in Turn 1, [shows a big red mark on his throat where a stone hit him] you can see a stone, for example," Alex Marquez said.

"I was behind somebody, and it's like, unbelievable. It felt like it was a gun or something. Boom! On my neck. It's like this.

"Turn 1 is the worst one because the tarmac is so bad, and some stones are going from the rider you have in front, but from the last hour it was better. So it is like it is, we cleaned it today, so hopefully tomorrow we will have good weather and we can make a lot of laps with a nice track."

"Yes there is another point that we have to speak about tomorrow in the Safety Commission, which is the asphalt [stones], everywhere is like that," added Dovizioso.

"When you follow other riders you have pain, because in every corner you get [hit by] the small stones. So maybe that can be a problem, I don’t know."

Meanwhile, although furious at the earlier track-cleaning decision, Aleix Espargaro praised the layout of the Indonesian track and went on to finish the day second behind younger brother Pol (Repsol Honda).

"With our bike we really enjoyed today. Still have to discover more. Today we have just one tiny line with grip. The rest of the track was completely brown," Espargaro said.

"But this circuit, especially for people at home, is going to be fun to watch the races. It’s not a very tricky circuit to learn so everyone is going to be close.

"Not easy sincerely to overtake. Today impossible because there was one line. But even in the race weekend it’s going to be very important Saturday [qualifying] at this place."

The Mandalika test, the last chance for official MotoGP track time before the racing season begins, continues on Saturday and Sunday.