Maverick Vinales on racing tragedies: "Power, weight of bikes the issues"

2021 saw Dean Berta Vinales lose his life in WorldSSP300 at Jerez, Jason Dupasquier in Moto3 at Mugello and Hugo Millan in the European Talent Cup at Aragon.

Dorna and the FIM have already responded by increasing the future age limits for such classes, as well as announcing the development of an automatic warning system for fallen riders.

• Victor Steeman has died after a crash

But for MotoGP’s Maverick Vinales, cousin of Dean Berta Vinales, the poor power-to-weight ratio of the machinery needs to be addressed.

“I always had the same opinion about Supersport 300. I said it before what happened with Dean, before many things, that these kinds of categories with bikes of [140kg] that can [only] go at 140km/h maximum on the straights - this is useless for a rider. You don't learn anything… And if you have a bike which is 2k’s faster, you can win the race.

“I remember when I was a kid, I needed to ride a 125GP [two-stroke] that [if] you were not talented it was impossible to win or to follow the good guys. I remember I arrived here in the World Championship and the first time I tried to follow someone, I highsided. So I learned a lesson. You needed to work, you needed to do things.

“But in this moment, also in Moto3, you see the riders all go [stay] together. It wasn't like this in the past and the talent was more [important] than if the bike is a bit faster or slower.

'It's not about the age, it's not about the riders, it’s about the bikes'

“For me, with the Supersport 300, the problem is that the bikes are [140] kilos, no speed, so they go 30 altogether. And of course if someone crashes in the front, it is impossible to escape.

“For me, it's not about the age, it's not about the riders, it’s about the bikes. They have no power [but] weight like a MotoGP. Brakes are shit. Swingarms are from the street, so the problem is the category.

“It's not the riders, it’s not the young [age], because at 13 years old I was riding a 125GP and nothing happened because we were not 20 in one pack. We were only 3-4, not more, Because was difficult [to ride the bikes].

“I’ve tried a 300. And for me it's a very easy bike, no power. You can go all together. There can be a rider that is 2 seconds slower but if they follow, they can go with the first.

“So basically there are too much weight on these bikes, no power, so they all go together. That's the biggest issue I think.”