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MotoGP is preparing to tackle the second part of the season after a long summer break. The engines will be fired up again at Silverstone, hostilities will resume and something will change compared to the first part of 2023. The format of the race weekend has in fact undergone an important change, with FP1 no longer having any value in assigning a place in the top ten who have direct access to Q2. The decision has been taken to make the race weekend less stressful and leave room for riders and technicians to work on the bikes without the pressure of necessarily having to attempt a time attack immediately.
Massimo Rivola was interviewed by our Speedweek colleagues and he addressed various topics, from the new format of the weekend to the need to do something in order not to risk losing Honda and Yamaha after Suzuki's abandonment in 2022, a risk that no one in the paddock wants to take.
"We agreed not to count FP1 for Q2. It was enough to look at the statistics and the number of crashes, injured riders and destroyed bikes for the manufacturers compared to before. This is enough to understand how much this format has affected everyone. Aprilia also made the suggestion not to count both Friday practice sessions for progressing to Q2. In this way, the first day of practice would have been a bit more relaxed. Friday could have been used for set-up work, to test new parts and develop the bikes, and possibly to find the set-up in view of FP3 on Saturday. In this way, the riders would not have been in time attack mode so often, risking their lives to get a lap time to get into the top ten".
Rivola also suggested looking at the format of Formula 1.
"The whole qualifying format could have been changed. I think Formula 1 qualifying with Q1, Q2 and Q3 is very interesting and exciting."
The CEO of Aprilia Racing then spoke of the crisis of the Japanese manufacturers in MotoGP.
"It's a bit strange that now the small European factories have to help the Japanese giants. At the same time, it is confirmation for the good work we have done. I am open to these discussions, as long as the whole group remains united and the field is balanced. If I'm asked to help a manufacturer in difficulty, I'm open to negotiating, because it could happen that one day Aprilia will be the next one to find itself in difficulty. For the good of our championship, I'm open to all ideas and discussions. But we must consider all points of view, not just that of the manufacturers in difficulty.
According to Rivola, in addition to helping those in difficulty, it would be useful to think about how to limit those who are dominating.
"In the end, we have to find an acceptable compromise that benefits the entire MotoGP. The manufacturers must not think only of themselves. We want a good show, exciting races, and all the manufacturers involved must have the chance to win. We must therefore find balanced criteria. Various ways could be considered. If a manufacturer has eight bikes on the track, we could, for example, cancel test opportunities for that manufacturer. Something like that. But for now, I can't imagine a solution to all the problems at all ".
There is also the pressing need to have Marc Marquez back at the top, but rules on a personal basis are certainly not needed.
"Marquez has done a lot for this sport, there's no denying it. He's usually able to do special things as a rider. That's always good for the show. Even if he has five crashes in one weekend, that's part of his way of working".
