Should there also be a riders’ association in MotoGP, perhaps with Valentino Rossi as chairman? – Riders stress the importance of the Safety Commission
In MotoGP, on the one hand, there is the manufacturers’ association MSMA and the team association IRTA, as well as the world governing body FIA and promoter Dorna. But there is no rider representation. It’s different in Formula 1, where the GPDA has existed for decades.
The current chairman of the GPDA is ex-racing driver Alexander Wurz. The other directors are Sebastian Vettel and George Russell. In the GPDA, the drivers can coordinate among themselves on important issues and put demands on the table with one voice.
Should there also be such a drivers’ association in the motorbike world championship? Possibly with Valentino Rossi as chairman? “In my opinion,” says veteran Andrea Dovizioso, “the safety commission is very good. It has brought many advantages. “
“Logically, you can always do better. The safety commission can also be improved, but it is productive. It is true that we don’t have managers’ meetings and we don’t always talk about important things. Sometimes we talk only as drivers.”
“We could do better, but in my opinion the safety commission has always been very positive and productive.” That Rossi, with his experience and influence, could act as a mouthpiece for the riders has been a recurring theme in recent years.
Rossi, however, always declined in his active days. “I can understand Valentino,” says Dovizioso. “I can understand that he does what he feels like doing to have fun. He doesn’t dwell on things like that. “
Every race weekend, the safety committee meets late on Friday afternoon. Attendance is not compulsory. Some drivers attend regularly, others less often. There is no such meeting of a safety commission in Formula 1, for example.
“I think,” says Pol Espargaro, “we are in a better position than Formula 1. We have the safety commission. I don’t think the Formula 1 riders have anything to say. We are much more involved. I don’t know if it would be a good idea to copy Formula 1. “
“Of course it would be good if the championship had a leader who understands the problems of the drivers. It’s not about complaining, it’s about speaking with one voice. That would be nice.”
According to Marc Marquez, however, this would be a “complex” issue in practice: “It would be difficult for all of us to have the same opinion. Someone has to make decisions, of course. We have the safety commission where we can discuss. “
