MotoGP - Catalunya Ducati Press Release + Update
 

Sunday Jun 18 2006
Race - Catalunya

DISASTROUS DAY FOR DUCATI MARLBORO MEN


Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Sete Gibernau had a disastrous day at Catalunya today, both men crashing out in a turn-one multiple pile-up. The crash, which claimed a total of five riders, left Capirossi battered and bruised, with Gibernau suffering concussion and a fractured left collarbone. Marco Melandri, the only other victim of the first-corner melee to sustain injury, suffered concussion and a dislocated shoulder.

Capirossi was taken by helicopter to Catalunya General Hospital, attended by the Clinica Mobile's Dr Mattioli Ruggero. He underwent scans to his chest, to check that the crash hadn't aggravated the injuries he sustained in a crash during last October's Australian GP, and also to his abdomen, because he was struck in that area during today's accident. The Italian then underwent further scans to the left of his chest which had become swollen. None of the scans gave any cause for concern and although Capirossi will remain in hospital overnight for observation, he could be fit for next weekend's Dutch TT at Assen. He sustained no broken bones in the fall.

Gibernau was less lucky. He will need an operation to fix the minor fracture to his left collarbone. Surgeons will replace a plate inserted after an earlier accident with a larger plate, but they will wait 24 hours before the operation, due to his concussion. Gibernau never lost consciousness after the 195kph/121mph accident and was pronounced okay following a brain scan at Barcelona's Dexeus hospital. Unfortunately, the ambulance taking Gibernau to hospital was involved in a minor accident with a bus just 50 metres from the hospital entrance, though he suffered no further injuries in that incident. It is too soon to say when he will be able to race again.

LIVIO SUPPO, Ducati MotoGP Project leader
"The first corner of any race is always tricky. But the fact that both riders came out of such a big crash without serious injuries is a great testament to the protection offered by the latest riding gear. Unfortunately, this is the worst moment of the season to sustain an injury, with three races over three weekends and another two over the next three weekends. Maybe Loris will be able to race at Assen but we can't be sure when Sete will be ready.
We were unlucky to lose both our riders in the accident. Looking at the lap times, we could have scored some good points today. Our congratulations to Bridgestone who had a much better weekend here than they had here last year, with a fourth-place finish, only 13,4 behind the winner. That proves once again how much they have improved at what was a difficult track for them. Although today was a bad day for us, this fact certainly boosts the team's mood for the remainder of the season."

Poor Sete, even the ambulance he was in crashed!

I have to say I have not seen the footage of the first corner on TV yet but, watching the on-line vid on the bbc website it does appear as though Loris drifted over towards Sete.

Lets hope both riders make a fully and speedy recovery.

F

Looked more like the other way round from the numerous replays on Eurosport - it looked like Sete went right across Loris and took himself out.

Not that I'm blaming Sete as it's definitely not the kind of thing you do intentionally!

It was a fairly heart stopping crash,Melandri looks to have been dragged along under Pedrosa's bike too.
One of the comments discussed by Randy Mamola and the other commentators was that launch control systems were putting most of the riders into these corners at the same time,whereas in the past, human input and judgement generally spread them out a bit more.I wonder if this might not lead to Dorna looking at the whole question of allowing these 'robot' systems and returning control to the rider in the interests of safety.


With the next race in a few days Ducati will be short of at least one if not both riders,who will they get to replace them in the short term?
Whos out there?,...McWilliams? anyone else?

Vito Guareschi...

Max Biaggi, he is between jobs !!

reference the point that Randy Mamola bought up... I understand that the lauch control type electronics will doubtless make a rider enter a corner faster, but has the effect of LC become largely irrelevant by the time the first corner arrives ? i.e. is the rider not in full control of the throttle after the 'launch' phase has been completed, and therefore able to dictate his entry speed ?

What is the situation for a team who losses a rider thru injury? Are they able to pick and choose whoever they think is approprite ( obviously depending on the intended parties contractual obligations etc. )

reference the point that Randy Mamola bought up... I understand that the lauch control type electronics will doubtless make a rider enter a corner faster, but has the effect of LC become largely irrelevant by the time the first corner arrives ? i.e. is the rider not in full control of the throttle after the 'launch' phase has been completed, and therefore able to dictate his entry speed ?

What is the situation for a team who losses a rider thru injury? Are they able to pick and choose whoever they think is approprite ( obviously depending on the intended parties contractual obligations etc. )

From what I understand, the launch control is automatically switched off once the rider changes gear* so it would indeed be off by the time they reach the first corner.

As for injuries, they can replace a rider at any time (through injury or otherwise) and riders can also maintain any existing points they may already have. Although it is uncommon for riders to switch teams mid season, it does happen.


* it gets turned by the rider on via a control button, and switches off automatically once second gear is selected

yeah, that's what I thought.... So does this not undermine the argument to 'blame' TC ??

Oh OK, so if a rider has 50 points in the c'ship for example and then gets injured, the replacement rider will create his own points for as long as he takes the ride.The 1st choice rider will then resume his c'ship on the same points as of his last race