Moto2: Technical report confirms rider error as cause of Salom crash

A technical report compiled by independent experts and released today by MotoGP Technical Director Danny Aldridge has confirmed the cause of the tragic incident in which Luis Salom lost his life earlier this year as rider error.

Working with independent judicial expert Angle Calzada Gomez and independent telemetry expert Lluis Lleonart Gomez, they examined the data from Salom’s bike to determine the cause of the crash.

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Gomez reported that his data showed that at the time of the incident the bike was four kilometres per hour slower than its fastest lap but at the time of braking the rider was seven or eight metres closer to the curve than on his fastest lap.

He speculated that the rider may have looked back and when returning to look forward misread his position, or was a little off line. This could have resulted in higher than usual brake pressure being applied, which was indicated on the telemetry.  As a result of being off line and the braking with the machine being banked the front wheel lost traction, resulting in the crash.

The report also rejected the idea originally oput forward by the team that the crash had been caused by a bump on the track, saying that there was ‘no evidence in the data that raised issue with the track surface including possible bumps.’

However, questions are still being raised about the amount – and type – of runoff made available at the corner, with some speculation that the use of asphalt-based rather than a traditional gravel trap allowed Salom to hit the nearby airfencing with higher speed.

The crash was again discussed during Friday’s safety commission meeting at Sachsenring, with it becoming likely that MotoGP will in future use the Formula One layout they moved mid-weekend to following Salom’s crash at Montmelo.

 

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