Riders want changes after 'dangerous' pit start
German MotoGP podium finishers Marc Marquez, Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo have called for a change in the regulations to avoid a repeat of Sunday's chaotic scenes at the end of pit lane.
A rain shower shortly before the race start meant most riders decided to fit wet weather tyres on the grid, only to find during the formation lap that the drying surface was more suitable for slicks
As a result, 14 of the 23 riders promptly dived into pit lane instead of lining up on the grid.
Those 14 then jumped from their wet bike to a waiting dry bike, before rushing to form a free-for-all queue at the end of pit lane. With five riders packed side-by-side on each unofficial row, they were all released as those on the grid reached turn one.
Race winner Marquez, who called it a Motocross style start, said: "This situation will be difficult to repeat but of course someday it can happen again. We will speak with Race Direction and maybe make some kind of change at the end of pit lane, because now when everybody goes in to change the bike it does not matter if you were on pole positon. It was like just go there and try to find a place to start at the front."
While Marquez was able to squeeze to the front of the pit lane queue, team-mate and second place qualifier Pedrosa was demoted to row two.
"Like Marc said maybe that is the biggest thing because I was front row on the grid, but because I didn't go into the pits first, when I changed my bike I was in the second row at the end of pit lane," said Pedrosa. "Normally today's situation doesn't happen, where everybody makes the same choice [to come into the pits before the start]. I did it two years ago but I was only with two or three other guys."
Lorenzo meanwhile was forced to take avoiding action at the first corner due to the cold carbon brakes failing to slow his Movistar Yamaha.
"For me it was dangerous for a few reasons," said the Spaniard. "The carbon disc is one reason, because for me I couldn't warm the disc [before the start]. Also you've got new tyres and especially the exit after the pit lane is very narrow. There were a lot of riders trying to overtake. So maybe it is better to get another type of regulation to avoid these kind of very dangerous moments."
