MotoGP's revised starting grid procedure came under the spotlight after an uneventful Sprint race at the German Grand Prix, with several riders suggesting the new rules made overtaking even harder at the already challenging Sachsenring circuit.
The changes, introduced for the German Grand Prix, increased the distance between riders on the starting grid from three metres to four metres. The adjustment was made following the multi-rider crash at the Catalan Grand Prix that left Johann Zarco with a serious knee injury, with rider safety the primary motivation.
However, the new spacing appeared to reduce opportunities for aggressive starts, resulting in a largely unchanged order through the opening corners of Saturday's Sprint.
Alex Marquez, who started second on the grid, admitted the revised layout affected his plan to challenge his brother Marc Marquez into Turn 1.
"My idea was to attack him on the start, but now with the new rules, it's quite difficult to gain position," Alex said.
He added that unless the rider ahead made a significant mistake, it was almost impossible to draw alongside at the start. As a result, the top positions remained largely unchanged during the early laps, with only minor movement further down the order.
The circuit itself also played a major role. Sachsenring has long been regarded as one of the most difficult tracks for overtaking due to its short layout and continuous sequence of corners, leaving riders with few passing opportunities.
Source: Motorsport Week
Fabio di Giannantonio believes the track characteristics were just as important as the new grid rules. The VR46 rider explained that following another bike too closely quickly raises front tyre temperatures, making it difficult to maintain pace while attempting an overtake.
"We know that this track is really, really difficult to overtake on," Di Giannantonio said.
"Once you go just behind another rider, the front tyre gets temperature. It's really difficult to keep the pace and then try to overtake."
The Italian even chose to drop back slightly during the race to cool his front tyre before making another push, although he ultimately fell short of launching a late attack on Alex Marquez.
While the revised grid procedure was introduced to improve rider safety, the quiet Sprint has raised fresh questions about whether the changes could unintentionally reduce on-track action. With overtaking already difficult at circuits such as Sachsenring, the discussion over balancing safety and close racing is likely to continue throughout the season.
