Marco Bezzecchi
With all the conversation surrounding rider safety in the aftermath of the Catalan Grand Prix, MotoGP riders must be wary of the new management.
Things took a drastic turn during the Catalan Grand Prix on Sunday when Alex Marquez suffered a brutal crash that forced a red flag stoppage.
The second restart did not go any better, as Luca Marini and Johann Zarco collided, forcing yet another red flag to be waved.
What safety changes, if any, do you want to see after the Catalan Grand Prix red flags?
Due to the controversial nature of the race, there has been a lot of talk about whether the Catalan Grand Prix should have been restarted after the two red flags.
But the larger safety concerns posed over the weekend may not be well received by Liberty Media, as Mat Oxley warns that their approach to rider safety might leave a lot to be desired.
READ MORE: Loris Baz calls for Catalan Grand Prix track change after Johann Zarco ‘pile up’
Mat Oxley warns MotoGP riders about Liberty Media’s approach compared to Carmelo Ezpeleta
Mat Oxley spoke on the Oxley Bom podcast covering the Catalan Grand Prix and how rider concerns might face some challenges going forward.
Oxley noted that Liberty Media, MotoGP’s new owners, are not as informed about motorcycle racing as previous owner, Dorna Sports head Carmelo Ezpeleta was.
“I think Dorna, in many ways, have done great things for safety. But I think in recent years, they’ve kind of dropped the ball a bit.
“And if the riders think they’re not getting much reaction from Dorna, then wait till you f—— deal with Liberty. These people have nothing to do with motorcycle racing. They’ve literally just bought this as a product to make money out of it.
“Carmelo Ezpeleta raced cars mainly, but he also raced motorbikes before he came in. So he was a motorsport guy, a racing guy.
“When he took over Dorna, he said to Mike Trimly, we will never race at a track that isn’t safe enough. And that’s pretty much always been the way.”
READ MORE: Jorge Martin in hospital after yet another crash in Barcelona MotoGP test
Amidst the red flags, some amazing performances at the Catalan Grand Prix. But which rider stood out the most to you?
Liberty Media must take MotoGP rider concerns seriously to avoid scrutiny
As Liberty Media expands their motorsport ownership ventures into MotoGP, it is important that they do not discard rider concerns, especially when it comes to safety.
Liberty Media must reconsider their future in MotoGP and how they plan to approach matters of safety after the catastrophic events on Sunday.
Zarco’s crash was proof that MotoGP dragged their heels on a rule change that needed to be implemented years ago, and could have avoided the disastrous result at Montmelo.
Hopefully, Liberty Media officials treat the events of Sunday as a warning sign of what might occur if they disregard concerns about rider safety.
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