Loris Capirossi says MotoGP is safer since 2012 tyre changes – MotoGP news
Bridgestone’s Safety Advisor to Dorna Sports, Loris Capirossi, claims that MotoGP is a lot safer now, following the tyre changes that he recommended and Bridgestone implemented for 2012 MotoGP season.
After 2011, a year full of crashes and the fatal crash of Marco Simoncelli at Sepang, a dire need was felt for some safety precautions to ensure the safety of riders during races.
The first and most important change was made to the tyres being used in MotoGP races. Bridgestone’s compound tyres took too long to warm up and lost grip very quickly as they cooled off. Majority of crashes were being attributed to the problem with the tyres.
Capirossi who became Bridgestone’s Safety Advisor to Dorna Sports at the end of 2011 season immediately went into action working as a liaison between MotoGP riders and Bridgestone.
Capirossi suggested improving the warm-up performance of tyres, optimising contact patch of the tyres, enhancing rider feel and manufacturing the tyres in such a way that they could operate at a wider temperature range. The changes suggested by Capirossi
were implemented immediately by Bridgestone.
The 39-year-old Italian and three-time world champion Capirossi feels satisfied considering the result of his efforts and those of Bridgestone’s in making the MotoGP races safer for riders.
“I'm proud of the work done on tyres: this year [2012] no one has broken any bones due to tyres not being up to temperature. Bridgestone has worked well and I have pointed them in the right direction. "It's not over yet: in 2013 we'll have tyres made specifically
for the CRTs and perhaps there will be news regarding the number of tyres at everyone's disposal,” Capirossi told Gazzetta dello Sport.
Capirossi said he was also working on a number of other enhanced safety features for the riders. “We are working on small but important details, for example a guard for the front brake lever and a rider’s protective gear,” he explained.
Bridgestone will continue as Official Tyre Supplier to MotoGP until the end of 2014. In collaboration with Capirossi, Bridgestone plan on making their tyres as safe as possible for MotoGP riders.
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