In a surprising incident during the British Grand Prix, riders Jorge Martín and Ai Ogura experienced difficulties with their ride height devices, despite the ban on holeshot devices at the start. Both motorcycles suffered issues that caused them to lose positions at the beginning of the race, leaving fans’ expectations perplexed.
Martín, who had secured pole position, was overtaken by race winner Raul Fernández after going too deep into the first corner. Similarly, Ogura, who was also competing with an Aprilia, faced a similar situation that caused him to drop in the standings.
Race replays clearly showed that the rear section of the motorcycles was dragging on the asphalt, indicating that the height adjustment device did not disconnect properly. Although this could have caused serious damage, both riders were able to continue after resolving the issue, with Martín eventually finishing in second place, while Ogura fell further back during the race.
The weekend at Silverstone was only the second round since the new regulation banning holeshot devices, which were located on the front of the bike, in response to a series of accidents at the Catalonia Grand Prix. However, all motorcycles still have a height adjustment device at the rear, primarily designed to accelerate in slow corner starts, which is also used initially to achieve a better launch.
Historically, many complaints have centered around these devices, which at times have failed to disengage despite the braking pressure applied by the riders. At Silverstone, both Martín and Ogura accepted responsibility for their starts, claiming they were individual mistakes rather than mechanical failures.
Martín acknowledged that his lack of braking affected the device’s operation. ‘I just wanted to maintain the first position and didn’t brake enough,’ he commented. On the other hand, Ogura expressed that his adaptation to the movements of other riders caused him not to brake with the necessary force, resulting in a loss of positions without immediate danger.
This incident brings back to the table the debate over the regulation of these height adjustment devices, which will continue to raise concerns until 2027, when a total ban is expected under the new 850cc regime. Riders have pointed out that falls at the start are inevitable, regardless of the devices, as they represent a key opportunity to gain multiple positions.
To try to mitigate the risks, MotoGP has increased the space between each rider on the grid from three to four meters, starting with the German Grand Prix.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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