Rivola: MotoGP should close Acosta red flag loophole

Aprilia’s Massimo Rivola believes MotoGP should close the loophole that allowed Pedro Acosta to restart Sunday’s Catalan Grand Prix despite being directly involved in a race-stopping accident.

Acosta suffered a technical problem while leading the original race.

Moments later, Alex Marquez collided with the slowing KTM, triggering a huge crash for the Gresini rider and bringing out the red flags.

However, Acosta was able to limp back to the pits, making him eligible for the restart.

"Not right in my opinion"

"I'm not criticising Race Direction, because this has always been the approach taken,” Motorsport.com quotes Rivola as saying.

“However, we should all be in a position to reflect.

“I think that a rider who, for one reason or another, even one beyond their control like a technical problem, causes a red flag, shouldn't be allowed to rejoin the race.

“I have nothing against Pedro, but I think some things need to be reviewed.

“If Acosta hadn't been allowed to rejoin, it wouldn't have taken anything away from anyone: it would have been a normal progression of the race [if it hadn’t been stopped]."

Rivola added: "If the red flag came out one lap after Pedro's engine failure, he wouldn't have been able to restart, because the regulations state that the rider must return to the pits with the bike.

“Therefore, allowing him back on the grid, having in fact caused the red flag, even unintentionally, was not right in my opinion.”

Following a second stoppage for a Turn 1 accident involving Johann Zarco, Acosta led nine laps of a final 12-lap grand prix race before fading in the closing stages.

The factory KTM rider then crashed out at the final corner after contact from Ai Ogura, who received a penalty.

"It looks like we had an electric problem in the middle of the first race," Acosta said afterwards. "I was riding normally and, from one moment to the other, I had no throttle. 

"I just want to send all the strength to Alex and to Johann because it looks like they took the worst part of what happened today."

Rivola’s title-leading rider Marco Bezzecchi was eventually classified fourth after post-race tyre pressure penalties were applied.