Massimo Rivola, CEO of Aprilia Racing, has hit the nail on the head by questioning the decision to allow Pedro Acosta to continue in the Catalan Grand Prix after the accident caused by a technical failure on his KTM. The incident, which occurred on lap 11, left Álex Márquez with serious injuries after colliding with Acosta's powerless bike, also affecting Di Giannantonio and Raúl Fernández and forcing an immediate red flag.
Technical failure on the KTM: the origin of the chaos on track 🏍️
The loss of power on Acosta's KTM, which reduced him to an unpredictable obstacle in the middle of the racing line, reopens the debate on electronic reliability in MotoGP. The management of the ECU and engine mapping, along with the absence of an early warning system for trailing riders, are the points highlighted by engineers. The regulations allow resumption if the bike is repairable, but the speed differential generated was the key factor in the multi-rider accident.
Rivola calls for a penalty points system for bikes with failures ⚠️
The Aprilia boss suggests that if a bike loses power, it should be excluded from the race as if a red dot had been placed on its fairing. Because, of course, in a sport where everyone is going at 300 km/h, the logical thing is for a rider on a bike that works intermittently to keep rolling as if it were a fairground attraction. Next time, they should carry a sign saying Caution: Imminent Braking to warn the pack.