Marco Bezzecchi
With the recent issues caused by the MotoGP calendar, Carlo Pernat believes Liberty Media should adopt a similar approach to Formula 1.
Since their acquisition of the brand, many MotoGP fans have slammed Liberty Media for their approach to making changes, feeling as though they are trying to ‘F1-ise’ the sport too much.
Those within Liberty Media have defended using F1 insights to try and improve MotoGP, suggesting that following a successful model makes sense.
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But in recent weeks, with the serious concerns surrounding the safety of the riders, MotoGP officials and Liberty Media have come under fire for their lack of action.
Ironically, Carlo Pernat believes one of the key problems MotoGP are facing with safety has to do with the calendar, and there needs to be an F1-style change implemented very soon.
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Carlo Pernat believes one part of MotoGP calendar needs a ‘rethink’ amid serious safety concerns
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Carlo Pernat claimed that MotoGP needed to reduce the number of sprints, making them more occasional, like they are in the Formula 1 calendar.
Pernat noted that having a sprint each race weekend creates a situation where riders are more prone to injury, and it puts them in jeopardy, and possibly deprives the fans in attendance of a chance to see their favourite riders during the race on Sunday, as they may sustain an injury during a crash.
“You can’t do 44 starts. This world championship is worth three of our old ones. We need to rethink the Sprint Races. We need to look at Formula 1 in this regard.
“Doing six, seven: it would make a different sense… Because when you crash on Saturday, and it’s already happened, maybe three or four strong riders don’t start the next day. The crowd paid for their tickets, and then the show?”
Pernat also urged MotoGP riders to come together and unionise so they can be better served by MotoGP officials and hold more leverage over them in negotiations.
“The riders need to form an association and put their cards on the table. Just like the manufacturers and everyone else do.”
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Liberty Media must address negative sentiment surrounding MotoGP
Many of the changes and proposals made by Liberty Media have not been received well at all, as fans, riders, and analysts all believe they have the wrong approach.
Many warned that Liberty Media won’t take rider safety as seriously as some within MotoGP had hoped, and it’s hard to say that this warning was unfair.
Liberty Media want MotoGP riders to be like F1 drivers under the terms of their upcoming commercial agreement, one that hasn’t made much progress due to teams and riders feeling unsatisfied.
As time goes on, Liberty Media must realise that they’ve invested in a racing league that is different from Formula 1, and their one-size-fits-all approach cannot continue.
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