Pedro Acosta has openly criticised MotoGP race management following the chaotic Catalan Grand Prix, arguing that rider safety should have taken priority after a series of major crashes disrupted the race.
The Red Bull KTM rider spoke out after a dramatic afternoon at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya that saw two separate red flags, multiple heavy accidents, and several riders requiring hospital checks.
Acosta himself was at the centre of the first major incident while leading the race. His KTM suddenly suffered a loss of power between Turns 9 and 10, forcing him to slow abruptly on the racing line.
Trailing closely behind, Alex Marquez had little chance to avoid contact and crashed heavily after colliding with Acosta’s slowing bike. The Gresini rider was later taken to hospital for further evaluation but remained conscious.
The race was immediately stopped, but further chaos followed after the restart. Another multi-rider collision at Turn 1 involved Francesco Bagnaia, Johann Zarco, and Luca Marini, bringing out a second red flag.
Zarco later required medical scans on his left leg, adding to concerns after two serious incidents occurred within the same Grand Prix.
Acosta admitted he was uncomfortable with the decision to restart the race again following the second stoppage, saying the events raised bigger questions about rider welfare.
Source: Crash.net
“There’s not much to say about today’s race. The most important thing is that we know Alex Marquez and Johann Zarco are okay,” Acosta said.
“It’s really awful that we act as if nothing happened and go out on track as normal. I understand restarting after one red flag, but after the second one I don’t really agree.”
“If two serious accidents have already happened in the same race, I don’t think there’s much point in going out again. People’s health comes before the show.”
Acosta later explained that his initial crash was triggered by an electronic issue that caused a sudden power cut on his KTM machine.
“The loss of power threw me forward, and with everyone riding so close together, the worst possible thing happened,” he explained.
The race also featured further incidents elsewhere in the field. Fabio Di Giannantonio crashed after running over debris from the opening accident, while Ai Ogura received a three-second penalty after a separate clash later in the race.
Despite accepting Ogura’s apology, Acosta’s main focus after the Grand Prix remained the wider safety concerns raised by one of the most chaotic MotoGP races in recent memory.
The incident has already sparked fresh debate within the paddock over restart procedures and whether stricter measures may be needed following multiple serious accidents in a single race.
