There is a bittersweet irony to motor racing. On the one hand, we want the race to be as safe as possible.
On the other hand, the element of risk, the thrill of watching a racer grappling with a motor bike at very high speeds on the edge of a bind, leaning on the brink of disaster, is part of the attraction. Racing a motorcycle is difficult, and since the rider is on the bike, in the full view even the most casual observer can clearly see how difficult it is.
That brings me to the Red Bull Ring. The circuit at Spielberg is simple and extremely dangerous, as the bikes spend too much time pulling hard in high gears or braking hard into tight corners.
To go fast, you have to brake all the way, and if you brake hard while braking at high speed, you can hit a wall, or get very close, or crash and knock out other riders.
The altitude makes for a spectacular lap, but it also means there are a lot of blind peaks that can hide a fallen bike, leaving rear riders with no warning and no chance to avoid it.
There have been many examples in the past. Maverick Viñales slammed on the brakes and crashed into the air barrier in Round 1 2020. Dani Pedrosa crashed right on top in Round 3, and Lorenzo Savadori dashed into it at high speed.
And of course, the 2020 incident between Franco Morbidelli and Johann Zarco, where Zarco crashed into Morbidelli’s back on his way up the hill through Turn 2, knocking out both riders, their bikes darting across the track, crossing the track. directly in front of Valentino Rossi and nearly decapitated Maverick Viñales.
Financial problems
According to copyright, the Red Bull Ring is not included in the MotoGP calendar. But Dieter Mateschitz has more money than God, and his energy drink business has poured huge amounts of cash into the sport at every level.
Without Red Bull and other energy drink sponsors, motor racing is in a very different place. And so Red Bull got the big prize at his home, at the company-owned track, and we all appreciate the little inconvenience of a dangerous track.
However, the irony of motor racing is that as dangerous as the Red Bull Ring is, it is also utterly glorious in parts.
Run up the hill to the fork, brake from high speed and try to steer the car around the corner, before turning.
From emergency braking on uphill in Turn 3 to fast braking on downhill in Turn 4; Don’t have to brake later than you think because of the slope, then adjust to brake earlier than you think because the weight is on the front of the car and the rear is trying to push you into the corner, and then the track goes like crazy. you want to enter the corner.
Jack Miller explained that part was especially difficult for the racers. “It’s a tough hand, and also when it comes down on Turn 4, it will cause the car to unload and you usually lose the front there. I was caught out there once and lost face first.”
Pausing unloading and then downloading the bike, he explained. “Because it would come back to you later, it walked away and then came back, all the bike was gone and then it came back at the last moment and knocked me over. So somehow I went from losing first to being high. “
Getting the bike to stop at Turn 4 is a challenge. “But like I said, you’re going really fast into turn 4, especially when you go in there and slide your brake marker and you just see that pebble getting closer and closer and closer. Because there really isn’t any profit there. “
The real danger at the Red Bull Ring is when it comes to Turn 3. The bikes rush up the hill at top speed, reaching over 315 km/h. And as soon as the top speed is reached, the riders must slam on the brakes, lean heavily for Turn 2 and start preparing the entrance for Turn 3.
It is extremely demanding both physically and visually. That part really shows how difficult motocross racing is.
That part has now been removed. A new turn – officially Turn 2a and Turn 2b, as the right and then left corners are called – aims to increase the speed, and thus the danger of running up hills.
While the fact that the circuit did something to address the danger is much appreciated, it’s also a bit of a pity to lose one of the most challenging and spectacular pieces on the calendar.
“Surely you remember it. I mean, probably, along with Mugello, the most telling, is the tightest moment of the championship,” Jack Miller colorfully describes.
“Because you come out of that corner, you hug the white line as close as you can go down the straight line. And then you flip it to the left and everything will start doing ‘this’ and you’re running like 340-350 km/h! “
That’s the part you need to work on, Miller explains. “Especially the first few rounds into the area, and there’s the inner wall you’re aiming for!” Losing it left him with mixed emotions.
“You’re going to miss that because it’s cool, but you’re not going to miss it when you’re on a slide, completely out of control, running into a tank and trying to brake and it’s no longer there. again.”
Is the new Chicane an improvement? On Thursday morning, I walked that stretch with Peter Bom, to see for myself. To our eyes, this stretch looks much more dangerous, or rather it increases the risk of collision rather than reducing it.
It removes the hilltop danger where a freak crash can have extremely serious consequences, and instead has a higher chance of being hit at lower speeds, but also a greater chance A dropped bike can pick up another bike.
Our thoughts, however, only highlight the difference of opinion between the savvy observer and the professional racer. Without exception, riders believe the new layout is a big improvement.
“In terms of safety, for me it is better than the old layout,” Maverick Viñales said at the press conference. “I think in terms of pure safety it is much better than the previous corner, and in terms of speed, performance for us, I think it is also interesting,” said his teammate Aleix Espargaro.
However, there are still risks. “I think if you don’t lose your front go into it on the right, I think it’s much better for safety,” said Fabio Quartararo, while both Aleix Espargaro and Pecco Bagnaia were a little worried about the wall. . on the left side of the track.
“I think like Aleix said, the left wall is a bit close, and in wet conditions it might be too close, but let’s see tomorrow,” said Bagnaia.
When the plane was put in place because of the Round 3 crash initiated by Johann Zarco, the Frenchman joked that he was disappointed they hadn’t named the new plane after him.
“I’m a bit sad that my name isn’t on it!” he said in joy. However, the wave of criticism after the accident left its mark. “With all the words I had to put on two years ago, it would be a nice signature to put my name on it!” Zarco said, half in joy.
What is the effect of the new chicane? Jack Miller believes that if anything can help you get through a little easier. Not in itself, but on Turn 3, as the approach speed will be much lower and the bike less in the limit.
“I think it will make the race better,” the Australian told us. “The crossing isn’t going to happen a lot there, but I think it opens up the next corner, Turn 3, to possibly become a more overtaking area than before.”
Brad Binder agrees. “I think it can make the race a little closer.” Luca Marini feels the same way. “On paper, it looks a bit ugly, not really interesting. But perhaps it could be a dominant hotspot. I try to look on the positive side.”
Will the additional chicane rebalance the racing dynamics at the Red Bull Ring? No one really believes that.
The track is a stop-and-go track, which means the most important thing is stability when braking and accelerating, only the long omega from Turn 5 to Turn 8 is where it matters most in terms of angular speed and agility .
The stretch just adds a stop and go to rest, another braking zone, followed by another where the bikes pick up speed from low speeds.
In theory, that should be in the hands of Ducati, the bike that has dominated most of the races in Spielberg. But that doesn’t mean Ducati will win.
In 2020, it looked like Joan Mir would go away with a win at the lap, until the race was red flagged due to Maverick Viñales’ accident, and Mir didn’t have a new front tyre.
Miguel Oliveira knocked out Jack Miller in that restarted race, and Brad Binder had a famous victory in 2021, when he stood in the street after it started to rain.
In theory, the circuit didn’t suit the Yamaha, but it’s worth remembering how good Fabio Quartararo was before the rain hit in the race won by Binder. Quartararo engaged in a tight fight with Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez, and easily overcame them in Turns 3 and 4, and was able to speed through corners. If Quartararo can repeat that trick on Sunday, he could be in for a surprise.
Then there’s Aprilia. The current version of the RS-GP is a clearly competitive package, which makes acceleration, braking and turning very good. There’s every reason to think that Aleix Espargaro, or Maverick Viñales, will be a standout on Sunday.
Thursday also saw the temporary return of Marc Marquez, although he was only in Austria to visit and discuss with his team and with Honda engineers. Marquez spoke to the press for 20 minutes or so, on a number of topics, as well as the same topic several times.
To summarize his answer to the question of when he will return to racing, the answer to that is quite simple: when he feels his arm is strong enough to support it, and above all, when he was many doctors. Marquez knows this is his last chance, and if he rushes back early and strains his bones again, it could mean the end of his racing career.
Marquez will have a meeting next week with the medical staff treating his arm, and have a CAT scan to measure bone healing and recovery. But he’s optimistic, as he’s been able to do some exercises he hasn’t been able to do since the first time he broke his arm.
If the CAT scan is positive, he can increase his training and start cycling again when he’s ready. He won’t set a definite date for a return, nor rule anything out.
But the most likely scenario is that he will try to race at the end of the year, to be ready to take part in the 1-day test at Valencia.
Contract period
Finally, while the rider market has been around for a long time, it looks like things are starting to come to an end.
Ai Ogura is said to have decided to stay at Moto2 for another season, and so Takaaki Nakagami will stay at LCR Honda for another year, with an announcement possibly at Misano.
Joan Mir told us he’s “closer to reaching an agreement than yesterday,” as talks with Repsol Honda (Mir did not confirm, but was also careful to avoid rejection) continued. It looks like HRC and Mir are working on finalizing the details of the contract for next year.
But Misano seems to be where the announcements will be made. What to expect from KTM this weekend, whether it’s Pol Espargaro at Tech3, or an announcement that perhaps Tech3 will compete under the guise of GasGas or another KTM sub-brand remains to be seen. review.
However, at Misano, we are likely to receive a decision from Ducati on the plant’s second place, an announcement from the LCR, and possibly a confirmation from Miguel Oliveira at RNF Aprilia. But until then, patience is needed.
Photo: MotoGP
