The Buddh International Circuit hosts the first MotoGP Grand Prix in India this weekend. Several riders have expressed concerns about safety conditions in recent weeks, but Pol Espargaró, from GasGas Tech3, believes that these concerns were exaggerated.
The Spanish rider clarified that he has no reason to complain about the track’s safety: ‘I walked twice yesterday and once this morning. Honestly, I think we were a bit too harsh before coming here and seeing what it was really like. I think it’s much better than we all expected, I believe. Regarding safety, it’s true that there are some things that can be improved, but I think in all tracks around the world there are areas we would like to improve. And here, of course, we need to understand, especially when racing and falling. There’s nothing critical, I would say, but it’s true that there are some areas that can be improved. But, as I said, I think we were too harsh before coming here‘.
In Espargaró’s opinion, the Indian circuit is not more dangerous than others: ‘There is not so much risk, I believe there is no more than in other places. It is true that, as I said, there are areas that can be improved, but this does not mean it is critical. We have several tracks… the Circuit de Catalunya is where I come from and there are also areas that we would like to change and we continue to ask for it. And it is one of the best circuits in the world. So, I believe that all tracks need to improve something because the bikes are a bit faster and reach higher top speeds. And the speed in the corners is higher, so when you fall the speed is always higher. And then you reach the walls much easier and faster. But this does not mean the track is critical. For me, it is good, very good‘.
#44 also commented: ‘Looking at the layout and how it is done, it can be one of the most fun of the year: up and down, the corners are very different, there is a lot of banking in some corners. It is something different from what we are used to and it looks very fun‘.
