The San Marino MotoGP race was marked by a series of falls, with 15 out of 25 riders experiencing crashes during the 12-lap sprint. The majority of these incidents, 10 in total, clustered in a brief span of about 10 minutes starting from lap seven.
Several high-profile riders, including Vinales, Alex Marquez, Brad Binder, and Enea Bastianini, succumbed to crashes at Turn 5 and Turn 9, with others following suit shortly thereafter. Despite the increasing number of accidents, race officials opted not to halt the race.
Jorge Martin of Pramac ultimately clinched victory, followed by Pedro Acosta and Fabio Quartararo, who later received a penalty for a tyre pressure infraction. Riders pointed out damp patches on the track, with Vinales highlighting the difficulty of discerning wet areas, particularly at Turn 5.
Vinales expressed frustration with the decision not to stop the race, emphasizing the perilous conditions caused by the track’s wet spots. He advocated for improved communication between riders and race direction to address safety concerns promptly.
Alex Marquez acknowledged the recurring issue of slow drying at Jerez, particularly at Turn 5 since the track was resurfaced in 2019. He stressed the need for proactive measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Binder attributed his crash to reacting to Alex Marquez’s fall and inadvertently encountering a damp patch. Meanwhile, Aleix Espargaro, despite not advocating for a race stoppage, questioned the decision to start the race under such conditions.
Espargaro raised concerns about the timing of the race start and the inability to adequately dry the track beforehand. He highlighted the challenge of balancing safety concerns with the practicalities of managing track conditions and rider behavior.
