Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/715179
IN THE WIND P42 FAST, BUT OH-SO-DANGEROUS T he Red Bull Ring in the Alpine foothills took just two practice sessions at the August 13-14 Austrian Grand Prix to oust Phillip Island as the fastest track on the calendar, by a handsome 2.5 mph (4 km/h). And speed and danger were a talking point from the start, with the proximity of the barriers and a dearth of gravel traps making it feel even faster. After a relatively slow first morning session, Dovizioso's Ducati set fastest lap of FP2 at an average of 115.5 mph (185.9 km/h), comfortably outrank- ing Phillip Island's best-ever lap set by Jorge Lorenzo at 113 mph (181.9 km/h). The average came on three medium-length straights, and in spite of at least three slow corners. Dovi said that he felt every km/h of it, "especially because the guardrail is very close on the straights. The maximum speed is not so high here, but you are on full throttle and with our bike when you are on full throttle the speed goes up very quick and you can feel it. But it's nice. The layout of the track is small and quite easy, but it's nice to feel." Assen winner Jack Miller con- firmed that riders are well aware of the speed, as well as having the throttle wide open more than anywhere else. "I had a sore jaw here after the tests, from gritting my teeth the whole way 'round. Normally I do that when you're going wide open, at more than 300 km/h (186 mph)." Tailored to F1, the Austrian track favors smaller paved run- offs, while somewhat sinuous straights offer opportunities for unusual accidents, as Cal Crutchlow explained. "Some places you are wide open and wheelying, with the rear wheel doing 300 km/h and the front doing 40 (24 mph). When it touches down it's easy for it lock up." Something similar happened to Stefan Bradl's Aprilia, and while he was lucky not to hit anything, he was astonished by how far the bike slid, reveal- ing just how fast he had been traveling. A little later in the same session, Pedrosa crashed, the front locking on corner entry. He also slid to a safe stop, but the speed meant his bike vaulted the air-fence and landed atop the tire wall beyond, bringing out the red flag as it was recovered. "The track is difficult and dangerous," said Crutchlow, the most outspoken. "There are only ten corners, and ten places that could be changed." The speed of the Ducatis— gaining two tenths on each of three straights—gave them what the Briton called "a free lap time," and meant that he and other Honda riders (plus Yamaha and Suzuki) had to take big risks in the corners, exposing them to real dangers. Michael Scott Scenic but dangerous; the Austrian circuit came under the safety spotlight over the weekend.