Seeking Solutions: MotoGP’s Battle Against ‘Ridiculous’ Qualifying Tow Tactics

What's the solution to MotoGP's absurd qualifying slipstreaming strategy issue?

The qualifying strategies in MotoGP faced criticism at Silverstone, but is there a practical solution?

Just as the sun is guaranteed to ascend each morning, so is the occurrence of a MotoGP rider leisurely roaming in search of a slipstream during the qualifying rounds. This scenario played out yet again during the previous weekend's British Grand Prix.

This resulted in the current world champion, Francesco Bagnaia, taking a strong stance. He criticized it as "absurd," and several other competitors concurred with his viewpoint. To be fair, the Q2 session at Silverstone wasn't the most egregious instance of such conduct, as the earlier races in Germany and the Netherlands arguably presented more flagrant cases.

The issue at its core is the lack of adequate laws to regulate the situation effectively.

Should you be discovered to have interfered with another rider in a manner classified as reckless riding according to the FIM regulations, you will face a sanction. This was the case for Jorge Martin at Assen, who slowed down on the racing line in front of Raul Fernandez during a qualifying session. As a result of this infringement, he was handed a three-place grid penalty. However, this only moved him down to fifth position for the race's beginning, and the penalty was specific to that grand prix alone.

Fernandez found himself in 11th position after his lap was interrupted, with the person responsible still in front of him on the starting grid. Martin secured the second-place spot in the grand prix, with Fernandez finishing eighth, nearly 20 seconds adrift. Regarding the incident involving Honda's wildcard rider Stefan Bradl in Germany, who withdrew from his lap in Q1 at Turn 2 and attempted to move to the track's outer side only to obstruct Marc Marquez, the penalty given was even more absurd.

Having qualified near the bottom, a grid penalty relegated him to the final starting position. On the other hand, Marquez had to begin from the 13th spot. The severity of the punishment doesn't seem to match the offense. Those who violate the rules repeatedly will now face extended lap penalties, although this seems like a lenient response considering the gravity of the issue.

When cyclists wait for fellow competitors to catch up and draft behind them, the absence of a clear penalty in the regulations encourages this ambiguous practice to persist. Consequently, it's hard to fault the athletes for taking advantage of this loophole.

What potential remedies exist?

The most apparent remedy, already implemented in the Moto2 and Moto3 categories, involves addressing the critical role of slipstreaming in lap times. In recent times, the dangerous spectacle of clusters of competitors decelerating on the race tracks to seek drafting advantages became increasingly prevalent.

The introduction of minimum sector times was meant to penalize riders for not adhering to set times, with a system of escalating penalties for subsequent violations, potentially culminating in a ban from racing. Despite these measures, the desired change in behavior has not been fully achieved, with numerous instances in Moto3 races where several competitors have been penalized.

Isn't it expected, given that they observe MotoGP racers performing similar actions without facing any consequences?

Aleix Espargaro from Aprilia, who achieved his pole position at Silverstone without any drafting assistance, mentioned to the press at the British Grand Prix that the idea of adopting the Moto2/Moto3 qualifying format in MotoGP has been a topic of conversation on several occasions during safety commission meetings. However, consensus has not been reached among all parties, leaving the current system unchanged.

Should consensus on the Moto2/Moto3 framework prove elusive, it might then be necessary to impose stricter penalties for reckless behavior. Although no actions were officially labeled as reckless in the Silverstone Q2 round, the spectacle of competitors decelerating on the Wellington Straight in the closing moments could potentially be deterred if the threat of severe repercussions, such as starting from the pit lane or incurring a ride-through penalty for obstructing others, loomed large.

Starting penalties, except for those requiring a driver to begin from the rear, don't necessarily spell disaster. Marc Marquez has demonstrated on multiple occasions this season that achieving a podium finish is possible even when initiating the race beyond the first 12 positions. Conversely, beginning from the pit lane presents a major setback, and incurring a ride-through penalty for hazardous actions like slow riding on the race track is sufficiently detrimental to serve as a stern warning.

If those at the highest level are held responsible, this approach will trickle down the hierarchy, notably into Moto3, where numerous competitors have managed to contend for victory despite facing significant lap and grid penalties.

In response to the issues that arose during the Q2 session at Silverstone, there have been suggestions to change the qualification structure. A significant number of pundits and supporters are advocating for the introduction of a Superpole system to effectively address and eliminate the issue of drivers coasting.

This topic divides the views of riders, with Marquez labeling it as "dull". The sequential system is still implemented in British Superbikes during certain events, indicating there is a historical basis for it.

MotoGP might consider bringing back its previous qualifying system, which consisted of a one-hour session. Extending the duration on the track allows riders to tweak their configurations and lessens the reliance on drafting, with the possibility of achieving the fastest lap at any moment.

The transition of MotoGP to a format featuring two 15-minute groups competing in rapid succession has, generally speaking, generated more thrill compared to the other mentioned options.

Thus, damaging the program to address an issue that can be straightforwardly resolved by implementing stricter penalties or modifying the rules does not appear to be a logical approach.

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