MotoGP: Dorna Releases Salom Crash Findings
Rennie Scaysbrook | July 22, 2016
The accident that claimed the life of Spanish Grand Prix winner Luis Salom has pointed to rider error as the likely cause, with MotoGP rights holder Dorna releasing its findings today.
Salom lost control of his SAG Team Kalex machine during Friday practice for the Catalan Grand Prix on June 3 at the final corner leading onto the front straight, slamming into the track barriers and ultimately succumbing to his injuries.
Salom’s machine was immediately impounded and sealed with tamperproof plastic seals and handed to judicial expert Angle Calzada Gomez to examine its hardware and to dissect the telemetry that ultimately led to the findings.
In a report issued by MotoGP Technical Director, Danny Aldridge, Mr Gomez noticed the throttle tube was loose, which was most likely a cause of the impact of the machine against the barrier. The rear wheel was also heavily damaged but found not to be faulty and the tire pressure within the correct pressure range, according to on-board telemetry.
“Confirming the initial analysis Mr. Gomez reported that his (Salom’s) data showed that at the time of the accident, the bike was 4km/h slower than its fastest lap but at the time of braking, the rider was seven or eight meters closer to the curve than on his fastest lap,” the report says. “He (Mr Gomez) confirmed that on the piece of straight between the two final curves, there was a partial cut in the throttle. Mr. Gomez 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 over the front wheel lost traction, resulting in the crash.
“Mr Gomez confirmed that he could not see anything unusual that he felt was of any concern. He also confirmed that there was no evidence in the data that raised issue with the track surface including possible bumps.”
Salom was the first rider to lose his life at a MotoGP event since Italian Marco Simoncelli died during the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix.