MotoGP riders say COTA safer after resurfacing, but doubts remain

MotoGP riders agree the partially resurfaced Circuit of the Americas has made the track “safer”, but some doubt the fixes for 2022 will be a long-term solution.

Last year’s Americas Grand Prix was overshadowed by the track surface being dangerously bumpy, with riders raising safety concerns about returning to COTA if the problems were not addressed.

A partial resurfacing from Turns 2-10 and Turns 12-16 was carried out over the winter ahead of this weekend’s race.

Suzuki rider and 2020 world champion Joan Mir says the circuit is now safer than it was last year, but also noted that bumps on American circuits will be something that will have to be accepted.

“When we come here to America the track is always really bumpy,” he said.

“We have to live with that but it’s a lot better than last year and probably I don’t complain because I know how bad last year was. It’s bumpy. Yes, this year it’s safe.”

Gresini’s Enea Bastianini echoed Mir’s comments about the safety, but noted that it is now much harder to put in a good lap time because one mistake will compromise your entire effort.

“Not a big step, but a step especially in Turns 2 and 10,” said Bastianini, when asked if the bumps that remained were at least better than they were in 2021.

“Now it’s not dangerous. Only now it’s difficult to make a very good lap time because if you make one error you aren’t fast, because if you make an error in Turn 3, four, five [and] six is impossible.”