until Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League
The partially repaired surface at Texas’ Circuit of the Americas track has gained a tentative green light from the MotoGP grid after successful remedial works to address the severe bumps that very nearly triggered a rider boycott only six months ago.
But, with issues still underlying, some racers have warned that it could well be only a temporary reprieve given the bigger problems.
The track hasn’t been entirely resurfaced, which was what was originally requested by the riders, but has been repaired at length.
The worst-affected sections from Turn 2 to Turn 10 and from Turn 12 to 16 were relaid in time for this year’s event in an attempt to reduce the worst of the unevenness caused by the soft underlying Texan soil.
And so far so good, with reigning champion Fabio Quartararo among those quick to point out that, while not perfect, the changes have nonetheless transformed the entire nature of the race weekend from last year’s somewhat attritional battle.
“Last year was dangerous,” theYamaha rider said after the first day of Austin practice in 2022.
“To be honest, last year I wasn’t having fun because you would go into Turn 2 and you had to pick up the bike. Now you can enjoy and really push at 100%.
“The bumps are clearly much better. When you think about last year, 80% of the bumps are gone, maybe even more. Only in turn 10, if you’re not on the line it’s really bad but on the line it’s really good. Compared to last year it is perfect.”
That’s a thought echoed by 2021’s five-time Austin crasher Aleix Espargaro, who was completely unable to get any performance whatsoever from the Aprilia last October.
But with the underlying soil well known as a common problem factor that in the past has rapidly exacerbated bumps, the Argentine Grand Prix race winner still has his doubts about the project’s longer-term hopes and concerns over the repair work.
“Regarding the bumps, the track is much better than last year,” he insisted, “but to be new tarmac it’s terrible because new tarmac has to be perfect, not just better.
“It has to be flat, and it’s not. Yes, I’m happy because it’s better, it’s another story from last year, but there are still a lot of bumps and it’s a very difficult track.
“I know that it’s not easy because this track is crazy, it’s up and down, it has right, left, right – many, many corners. It’s very difficult for the tarmac, for the land, to try and make it like new tarmac in Misano or Barcelona or wherever.
“They did a good job, and at least for 2022 it’s fixed, but the future is not super good for this circuit.”
