VOL. 51 ISSUE 28 JULY 15, 2014 P69
Briefly...
The mass start from pit lane was
unprecedented in MotoGP – and
should never happen that way again,
according to top riders caught up in
haphazard chaos that luckily did not
result in any crashes. "It was like a
motocross start, with everyone using
elbows, and it was quite nice… but
a bit dangerous for everybody, when
we pushed the brakes and don't
stop because they are too cold,"
said Marquez. "Maybe we will speak
at the Safety Commission to make
some sort of grid, because now you
just have to make your place at the
front."
Dani Pedrosa was one loser in the
start from pit lane. "I qualified on the
front row, but out of the pits I was
behind two or three riders. There
should be some system." For Jorge
Lorenzo, not only the cold carbon
brakes made it dangerous. "Also
cold tires, and the pit lane exit here
is very narrow." In the end, it was a
unique situation – an unintended
consequence of rules made mainly
to enhance safety.
Andrea Dovizioso is the key to un-
locking a spell of ghastly suspense
for the rest of the riders, with at least
two satellite teamsters – Bradley
Smith and Alvaro Bautista, plus pos-
sibly Stefan Bradl – riding for their
futures at this crucial point of the
contract season. At the same time,
Andrea Iannone is on tenterhooks,
hoping a berth will become available
in the factory Ducati team; Aleix Es-
pargaro is hoping for a factory bike
anywhere, while Suzuki is still shop-
ping for riders for the factory's 2015
return.
continued on next page
And now for something completely
different… yet the same.
START,
FINISH
Marc Marquez (93)
came up with a new
way of winning a
Grand Prix – from pit
lane. His teammate
Dani Pedrosa (26)
stayed close but
finished second again.
