The MotoGP’s overseas journey continues. For a good month now, the MotoGP circus has been traveling from country to country. This week, the stop in Thailand is on the agenda; last weekend, the race took place at the Phillip Island Circuit. And the race was to have it in itself. It offered the MotoGP fan everything his heart desires – excitement, action and a large portion of challenge. But it wasn’t the overtaking maneuvers and duels that will be remembered, but the battle against the unpredictable elements that the Australian GP weekend brought with it.
Changing weather mixes up the schedule
Phillip Island is known for its changing weather conditions, but this past race weekend took that to a whole new level. Stormy and rainy conditions shook up the schedule and made it difficult for the teams and riders to adjust to the conditions. During the sessions on Friday, conditions were still good. But a change in the weather was already announced, so that it was already clear on Friday that the schedule for Saturday and Sunday could not be kept. A new plan was hastily drawn up and communicated, because already on Saturday morning everything changed – rain and wind took hold.
New schedule in almost familiar form
The schedule adapted to the weather conditions was very reminiscent of old times. Warm up sessions on Sunday morning for Moto3 and Moto2 were just one of the changes. The main race of the MotoGP class was also moved forward to Saturday afternoon. On the one hand, to ensure equal opportunities, and on the other hand, to minimize the risk of injury. A very good approach, but one that demanded adaptability from all involved. In the end, even the MotoGP sprint race planned for Sunday was cancelled because the conditions were no longer acceptable. A good sign that the safety of the riders is a high priority. Holding a sprint race of the MotoGP class on Saturday was discarded due to the weather conditions. Instead, the main MotoGP race was held on Saturday to ensure that the riders had the best possible conditions to compete. It was a smart move, as Sunday was again hit by heavy rain and wind.
Rain and wind showed their marks
So the race weekend in Australia was a challenge. It was a test of the skill and ability of the riders, who needed a lot of feeling and even more confidence to brave the adverse conditions. What we saw in the races was absolute control over the bike and your own nerves. I wouldn’t have wanted to trade places, because the riders not only had to cope with the wet conditions, but also with the extreme wind. In some cases we witnessed riders shivering from the cold who bravely gave their interviews. It was no less punishing for the fans on site. The rain and wind got to everyone and yet all the main races could take place.
In Thailand, the MotoGP squad will be confronted with different temperatures. We’ll see what else awaits us there this weekend. I’m looking forward to it.
Your Miss MotoGP