Aprilia CEO: 'Acosta should have been banned after causing red flag'

The weekend was a dark reminder for the MotoGP world of just how dangerous the sport can be, with two major crashes hospitalizing Alex Marquez and Johann Zarco with serious injuries. Both crashes brough out red flags, meaning the riders had to make a total of three launches in just one race. The effects had a significant toll and the lack of mental focus brought on by the restart also played a role in the second crash, according to Zarco.

While Zarco's crash was horrific in itself, Alex Marquez's one prior was arguably even worse. Following an engine cut-out from Pedro Acosta's KTM, the younger Marquez brother was thrown towards a wall at high speed, and thankfully avoided colliding with it head-on. Nonetheless, the Gresini rider suffered a fractured neck vertebrae and extensive collar-bone damage with a break in three places.

While no official statement has been made by KTM regarding the cause for Acosta's sudden cut-out, many are demanding an explanation given the fact that Brad Binder's bike also had a similar mechanical issue on the starting grid.

Acosta would go on to lead the race until the final few laps when he was passed by several riders and eventually taken out of the race altogether by Ai Ogura at the very last corner of the final lap.

At present, there is already a rule which states all riders must return to the pits within five minutes of the red flag being thrown to be eligible for the restart. Both Acosta and Di Giannantonio managed to make it back in time, with the latter going on the win the race.

However, Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola, who was involved in the scuffle between Jorge Martin and his race engineer during the Catalan GP, has a different perspective on who should be eligible for restarts, targetting Acosta in particular as the cause of the first red flag: