FIM change the minimum age to compete in Moto3

[Bigyin]

Following the tragic deaths during the season the FIM have upped the age of competing in the Moto3 field from 16 to 18 from 2023.

Strangely though you can still compete in a non GP Moto3 race at a younger age

https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2021/10 ... 022/397693

Changes to make it safer ….. or not. What do you reckon

[Skub]

That's a hard call.

These days if you haven't been riding a bike from the time you can walk,then you are behind the game. Are kids any more sensible at 18 than 16? More physically mature,perhaps.

I dunno,this decision seems to raise the age at which it's acceptable for a rider to suffer life changing injuries,or die. Maybe that's right to protect those who are essentially children.

[wull]

I’m not sure if it’s their age or the bikes themselves.

I think the power of the bikes, the bikes themselves and the need to get in the slipstream promotes that type of racing that at times can venture on the dangerous side.

[Bigyin]

I’m not sure if it’s their age or the bikes themselves.

I think the power of the bikes, the bikes themselves and the need to get in the slipstream promotes that type of racing that at times can venture on the dangerous side.

I agree, Ironically the FIM has gone to huge lengths to try and keep the bikes as close to each other as possible to promote equal racing .....this has resulted in exactly what you are saying with so many bikes so close together on track and slipstreaming. I am referring to Moto3 and SSP300.

Having witnessed a couple of fatal racing accidents whilst working trackside and also seen a few on TV coverage sadly they are almost all the same. Rider falls off which is normally no big deal but is then hit by a following rider which is what causes the fatal injuries. Put 20 equal bikes together and the slightest mistake can rapidly escalate. This will happen if the riders are 16, 18 or mid 20's. Marco Simoncelli was 24 when he was killed in exactly the same circumstances after falling and being hit by Rossi and Edwards bikes

I dont think the age change will improve things as the recent tragedies have been bad luck as these accidents have happened before with no fatalities and will happen again, but will help the sports management in saying they arent risking "childrens" lives in racing at the highest level

[wull]

I also agree that of course motor racing is dangerous, I would never in a million years say otherwise and we all know the risks and still continue to do track days, race or ride like knobs on the road but I genuinely feel that when you literally every man and their dug nose to tail heading down the start finish line in such equal machines weaving like mad men then something is going to happen, and sadly in that scenario it’s highly probably that someone will be seriously injured or worse.

I can’t remember who said it but they said with the older bikes, maybe referring to the 125 and 250gp days that the bikes were really difficult to set up and there would be much bigger differences between the bikes whereas now these 300’s are so easy to set up and ride meaning the racing is much closer like we are seeing, which is great but so bad when it goes wrong.

[Yorick]

If you ever saw a 350 proddy race at Cadwell haipin in early 80s, you'd think Moto3 was dull

[Bigjawa]

That's a hard call.

These days if you haven't been riding a bike from the time you can walk,then you are behind the game. Are kids any more sensible at 18 than 16? More physically mature,perhaps.

I dunno,this decision seems to raise the age at which it's acceptable for a rider to suffer life changing injuries,or die. Maybe that's right to protect those who are essentially children.

Dunno about physically more mature, most boys are pretty much done and dusted by 16, the only difference in me between 16 and 18 was I lost weight if anything.

Young people suffer life changing injuries every day, is it not better for them to engage in risky activities in a relatively controlled setting as opposed to say flying around Poleglass on a hooky scrambler with no helmet whilst off your head on glue?