COTA MotoGP race "impossible" if bumps get worse
The Circuit of the Americas needs to take action to ensure its bumps don't get any worse for next year's MotoGP race, say leading riders, or else it will be "impossible" to race there.
Numerous riders commented on how bumpy the track surface had become in parts of the Austin venue last weekend, with Honda's Dani Pedrosa likening one section to a "supercross" track.
And while the consensus was that the situation for the 2017 race was just about manageable, riders are in agreement that organisers must take steps to ensure matters do not become worse for next year.
Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro believes that if the track deteriorates to a similar degree again in the next 12 months, there will be "no way" MotoGP will be able to race at COTA.
"Now we are at the limit regarding the bumps," said Espargaro, who finished 17th at Austin after pitting with a front tyre problem.
"If next year the difference is the same than last season to this season [in 2018], we can’t race, impossible 100 percent.
"I hope they can fix [the bumps] or re-asphalt [the track]."
Valentino Rossi, who finished second behind race winner Marc Marquez on Sunday, stressed that COTA needs to ensure that any work undertaken on the track is done properly, as he criticised previous efforts to fix the bumps.
"[The track] has maybe three points where they have to make a job to improve," said the Italian. "But if they do, they have to do it the right way.
"Some years ago, it had already some bumps and we spoke to improve and they made a job that was not good.
"They have to do it in a serious way and try to fix the points where the bumps are so deep."
Third-place finisher Pedrosa echoed Rossi's views, saying it was "important" that any work gets done "in the right way".
"There are a few spots where [the bumps] are really strong," said the Spaniard. "On the back straight it’s difficult to keep the bike under control at full throttle at 300 km/h.
"It’s important to do some works, if the track next year gets worse it’ll be very difficult to ride."
Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont
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