Indonesian GP, Quartararo Takes a Risk and Raises the Alarm: “They Have to Do Something!”

The Yamaha rider was involved in a crash and ended up in Mandalika’s treacherous gravel trap: he is not the first to express the need for changes to prevent serious physical injuries.

It seems that the characteristics of the Indonesian track somewhat mask the M1’s limitations. Since it does not have to tackle long straights, it does not reveal the now well-known lack of power from its V4 engine. It is no coincidence that Fabio Quartararo managed to secure direct access to Q2 in MotoGP qualifying, while Alex Rins and Jack Miller missed out by just a few hundredths. Even Toprak Razgatlioglu, essentially a regular occupant of the last or second-to-last position in recent Grands Prix, improved at the Mandalika International Circuit: he posted the 16th-fastest time in today’s pre-qualifying session, less than four tenths from the top 10 (HERE for the report and standings).

During the afternoon session, Quartararo crashed at Turn 9 and suffered a slight injury after ending up in the gravel, although nothing serious enough to prevent him from returning to the track later: “I have a bit of pain on my left side. The impact was quick - Crash.net reports - but not serious. Entering the gravel was the worst part. Fortunately, I didn’t break anything; I just have some muscle discomfort. I was able to get back on the bike, but I’ll wake up a little stiff tomorrow”.

The 2021 MotoGP world champion compared his crash to Marc Marquez’s in 2025 and confirmed the need for work at the Mandalika International Circuit: “For me, it’s the same thing that happened to Marc last year. In my opinion, if there had been no gravel, or if it had been positioned better, he would have walked away without a scratch. I was lucky today, because the crash was nothing spectacular, but it is precisely when you hit the gravel that it hurts. So, they need to do something in that area”.

Although the problem was already known in the past, it has not been resolved. Quartararo explained what could be a logical solution to prevent potential injuries in the event of crashes: “I think we should bring the gravel up to at least the same level as the asphalt, because it seems to me that it is slightly higher. When you arrive there, you find yourself bouncing into the air. In short, it’s too high”.

It is unacceptable for a MotoGP circuit to have the uneven levels seen in Indonesia. There is a sort of step between the asphalted area and the gravel, and it is not acceptable that no action was taken after what happened to Marquez in 2025. Run-off areas must be safe; harmless slides cannot turn into potential risks to the riders’ physical safety. Before thinking about how to put on a bigger show and make more money, detailed consideration must be given to the safety of those riding these powerful machines.

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