Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta has explained the reason for MotoGP's bizarre grid formation, while also commenting on the decisions of Race Direction during the controversial race.
After all except pole man Jack Miller decided to return to pitlane just prior to the start of the 25-lap race to join the Australian in switching to slick tyres, which forced a 15-minute delay.
After a meeting between Race Direction and the team bosses on the grid, a decision was taken to form the grid from second to last five rows back from Miller to simulate a back-of-the-grid start – the usual punishment for a rider starting the warm-up lap from pitlane.
Ezpeleta said the delay was brought about on safety grounds in order to avoid a repeat of the mass pitlane start seen at the German Grand Prix in 2014, when the majority of the field bailed on the sighting lap to switch to their dry bikes.
“At the moment we studied the situation of the grid, just Miller was using the slick tyres,” Ezpeleta stated.
“The rest of the riders had the right to go to the pitlane and take the exit from there, after changing the bike set-up for dry conditions. It’s the same that happened some years ago in Sachsenring, where everybody took the start from the pitlane”.
“We made the decision, shared by the majority of the teams, to start the way we did. That decision was taken for safety reasons, and it was the right decision.”
Ezpeleta said he did not “judge” the decisions taken by Race Direction on Sunday, and revealed the events of the race – which included a controversial collision between Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi – will be brought up in the Safety Commission meeting at the next round in Texas.
“The situation was very difficult due to the weather conditions, there was a dry line on the asphalt, then what happened is what everyone saw on TV,” Ezpeleta said of the race.
“Since two years ago Dorna is not involved in the nomination of the stewards, they are people nominated by the FIM and by IRTA.
“They took the decision, which I will obviously not judge.
“In the next GP Safety Commission with the riders in Austin, we will discuss the situation and for sure we will take some experience from that.”
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