After the death of Shoya Tomizawa at Misano, the use of extra tarmac and artificial grass has been criticized by several riders especially Casey Stoner who was the most outspoken saying: “The extra tarmac gives everybody an invincible feeling that they can run-off and come straight back on.
It is ridiculous, riders become too confident and without fear they ride with too much confidence and things like this can happen.
Grass is not the best thing but if it was real grass or real dirt people wouldn’t push that far.
” also stating that he has discussed this matter several times at the Safety Commission meetings that take place during the GP race weekends.
However Franco Uncini, who is Dorna’s safety delegate and sits in on the Riders Safety Commision (Rossi, Capirossi, Stoner and this year Marco Melandri) speaking with GPone.
com denies that Stoner has ever commented on the issue of artificial grass:“I was very surprised by some of the things being written about Stoner’s comments.
I am sure that it is either false, or being interpreted in the wrong way.
We meet every race weekend to talk about circuit safety, and I have never heard Casey talk about the artificial grass.
Never.
” and when asked if any other riders had brought up the problem, Uncini said: “Never.
Nobody has ever said anything.
We have always been in agreement.
The artificial grass was specifically requested by the Safety Commission, often going against, or maybe always going against, the requests of Formula 1 and the other four wheeled championships.
” Uncini also added that synthetic grass is good idea,“Absolutely, and I wish I had come up with it myself! Underneath is a layer of cement, and it is covered by the layer of synthetic grass.
It doesn’t have as much grip as the asphalt, but it has more than the grass or gravel that was there before.
The problem is that the riders now understand how much grip it offers, and they have figured out how to make use of it anyway.
The difference is that the MotoGP bikes have traction control, while the 125s and Moto2s don’t.
”