Opinion: Rossi and Lorenzo anger a symptom of MotoGP's problems

Valentino Rossi insisted last Sunday that, after what happened during the tragic weekend at Montmelo, he was going to consider the possibility of returning to the Safety Commission meetings, scheduled for every Friday of a grand prix weekend at 5:30pm.

The shock death of Moto2 rider Salom preceded the Commission meeting at Catalunya and, once it was decided the race would go ahead, the riders present began discussing the measures needed and, in this case, the layout change.

The 10 MotoGP riders in attendance initially tried to solve the issue with the help of a map of the track, until they realised that it was best to make a decision on location. As such, they grabbed their scooters and rode to Turn 12.

From Honda, Marc Marquez was there. From Ducati, both its works riders. Aleix Espargaro was there for Suzuki, Alvaro Bautista represented Aprilia and the list of attendees was completed by satellite riders Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith (Tech 3), Tito Rabat and Jack Miller (Marc VDS) and Cal Crutchlow (LCR).

Obviously the most notable absentees were the two Yamaha riders, who justified their absence without much credibility the following day, something that led to heavy criticism from their colleagues.

Even worse was when Rossi suggested – no one knows if jokingly or not – that someone could have used the Safety Commission opportunity to give one specific team a hand with the change made at a  corner different to where the fatality occurred.

Rossi and teammate Jorge Lorenzo were annoyed by not knowing about the change that had been agreed and by not being part of the decision, although the pair expressed their displeasure in different ways.

The Italian admitted his error: "I'm fully aware that the Safety Commission takes place every Friday at 5:30 in the afternoon. But I was very busy. It was a mistake not to go this time."

The Spaniard, meanwhile, tried to find a culprit, pointing the finger at an organisation or body that isn't actually there.

He argued that such an important decision like modifying the track layout could not be made without the world champion. "If I knew they wanted to change the two corners, for sure I would have gone," he said.

The mess involving Yamaha is just an example of the deficiencies of the championship that have come to the fore in such an extreme situation as Friday's.

In the first place, the fact that the riders need to tell their teams about the changes to the layout does not seem the most appropriate option, especially when the only ones who knew about it were the ones who attended a meeting which, as important as it is given the subject (safety), is only voluntary.

That does not happen in F1, for example, where the drivers' briefing each Friday is mandatory, as per the rules.

When it comes to assigning responsibilities, the most fair of solutions would be to spread them around.

Lorenzo and Rossi did not understand that, on that day, they needed to put the collective interests ahead of their own, and Yamaha failed to assist its riders and let them know how important the meeting was.

And the ruling bodies (FIM, race direction and Dorna) did not act in their role as leaders to set up an official meeting with representatives from all parties, including teams and riders.