MotoGP | Damp patches: drivers troubled by the immobile Race Direction

In total, 15 of the 25 starters suffered crashes over the 12 laps of the Sprint, and 10 of these incidents occurred in the approximately 10 minutes between the seventh lap and the finish.

At Turn 5, Vinales crashed on lap 10 after inheriting third position when Alex Marquez, Brad Binder and Enea Bastianini crashed identically on the previous lap. Moments later, Marc Marquez crashed at Turn 9, while Luca Marini, Stefan Bradl, Johann Zarco and Marco Bezzecchi crashed shortly after.

The race was not stopped despite the sudden wave of crashes, and Jorge Martin went on to win over Pedro Acosta and Fabio Quartararo, before the latter was penalized due to a tire pressure value lower than the limit imposed by Michelin .

Most riders noticed wet patches in several key spots, with Vinales pointing out that the one he crashed into at Turn 5 was impossible to see.

When asked about what happened, the Aprilia rider explained that in his opinion the race should have been stopped: “In the end the track was 95% dry and the 5% that was wet was completely in the center of the line” , he said. “And especially at Turn 5 you couldn't see that it was wet. For example, on the warm-up lap when I went through Turn 5, I looked back to see where it was wet and the whole corner looked dry.”

“So, it was impossible to see. Furthermore, even at the last corner it was impossible to see the wet patches. After the crash of Binder and all the guys, I think the race direction should understand that the track wasn't there racing conditions for this type of bike”.

“I passed perhaps on the same line and then I fell without any warning. So, we have to be very careful when the track is in these conditions, because it is very easy to have a big fall.”

He then added: “I don't think it's luck. It's a question of the track, the track conditions. For sure if I have to do a test I don't go out in these conditions. I wait for it to be dry. Obviously, it was completely in the center of the line , so that's why I say that Race Direction should understand that if there are 20 of us – or something like that – and 14 riders crash, it's because of something.

Vinales also noted that the riders have asked to be able to communicate from the bike to the race direction to report a problem on the track to be investigated, but so far nothing has been done.

Alex Marquez noted that the fact that Jerez is slow to dry in some places is “typical” of the Asphalt at the Andalusian circuit, but added that since the track was resurfaced in 2019 Turn 5 has posed a bigger problem.

“Yes, it is typical, for many years it has been the same problem,” he added. “So, we need to do something to prevent these things because it's something that's there… I think they resurfaced there, I don't remember the year, but we've had this problem ever since.”

“So, we have to do something to avoid that blob, because certainly for the spectators it was a lot of fun and it was a spectacular race. But for the drivers… it was nice, but that's not what we want to do.”

Binder explained that his crash at Turn 5 was caused by a reaction to Alex Marquez's crash and that, when checking, he touched the wet area.

Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Aleix Espargaro, Vinales' teammate, who instead crashed on the first lap, does not believe that stopping the race would have been the right solution, but he wondered whether the race should have started when it started or a few minutes late .

“I mean, yeah, you all saw the track conditions,” he said. “I don't think the red flag was the solution. Once the race starts, if the rain doesn't fall again, the conditions don't get worse. But the question is whether we should have started the race or not. It's difficult to have a fully informed decision. shared by all pilots”.

When asked if the race should have been delayed to allow the track to dry, he added: “I spoke to Loris (Capirossi) this morning and he said 'yes, we're going into Turn 2 and Turn 5 every time. to try to dry before the sessions, but there wasn't enough time'”.

“So, for me it's very dangerous to have these super powerful bikes to go out on slicks when there are wet patches. But it's also difficult for Race Direction, because how can you control that a rider doesn't put on slicks at the end of Q2 and risks? It's too difficult, really.”