P110
CN
III IN THE PADDOCK
BY MICHAEL SCOTT
T
he background to Span-
ish Moto2 rider Luis
Salom's fatal accident at
the Catalunyan grand prix is un-
der investigation. Certainly the
place that he crashed and the
way he did so was unexpected.
His trajectory took him beyond
normal safety precautions. The
fact that he slammed into his
own bike after it had hit the air
fence was also atypical. More
usually, and especially if there is
a gravel trap rather than one of
the increasingly popular paved
run-offs, bike and rider follow
different paths.
Sure, everyone knew the
barrier was a bit close to the
outside of that fast corner, but
at the same time, everyone
thought that with the provision
of an air-fence, enough precau-
tions had been taken. It took
a freak combination of circum-
stances to prove them wrong.
The foreground, however,
was more obvious.
Of course the death of a
24-year-old rider cast a pall
over proceedings. It trig-
gered a not altogether popular
circuit rejig. It all but prompted
cancellation of the meeting,
if the blandishments of com-
mercial managers Dorna are to
be believed, though it was not
surprising that they found a way
around it.
It occasioned lots of sanc-
timonious journalistic hand
wringing, some of it appropri-
DEATH, RACING AND THE FANS
