Data from the cancelled Phillip Island qualifying in 2019 was behind the decision to move this weekend’s Australian MotoGP race forward to Saturday afternoon.
Miguel Oliveira was injured when he was blown off track by a gust of wind at the end of the 200mph main straight in 2019, bringing out the red flags.
The half-distance, half-points Sprint will now be held - if conditions allow - at the planned Grand Prix start time on Sunday.“After consultation with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, we wanted to wait until today to get the best forecast that we could from the official bureau. And we have a very good reference of our tolerance in this circuit for wind after having to red flag the qualifying session in 2019,” explained Dorna Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta.
"One thing that's changed from the past is the new format for MotoGP - everybody in the paddock was already ready for a race tomorrow afternoon. So that clearly paves the way for a change like this." Race Director Mike Webb added that the tolerance levels of the present generation of ‘aerodynamic’ prototypes to crosswinds is now better understood than in 2019, when wings were a relatively new novelty.
“The most accurate forecast that we have for Sunday comes sort of in three-hour gaps. So we don't really know what exactly the hour-by-hour forecast will be on Sunday at the moment. We will probably know that tomorrow. So if needed we will adjust and prioritise the activities on Sunday.”“Obviously the MotoGP class is the priority for us,” Ezpeleta said, adding that the morning MotoGP warm-up will be useful to gauge the conditions for the 1,000cc machines.
“The MotoGP class is our priority but in the past, the conditions have been OK for one class and not for the other, so that's also something to take into consideration.
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