Mandalika’s gravel traps sparked controversy again when Fabio Quartararo collided with them during Friday practice for the Indonesian Grand Prix.
The crash
Quartararo lost balance halfway through the session, sliding smoothly on the tarmac before the impact with the gravel sent him airborne. The French rider subsequently whiplashed his wrist and thumb, prompting him to hold an ice pack during post‑session interviews.
Quartararo’s evaluation
He described the step between asphalt and gravel as “too high” and “bad for riders” when it comes into play at high speed. He warned that the same set‑up was problematic during last year’s Marin‑Marquez accident, while insisting that the measures from the event’s organisers had not fully resolved the issue.
Bastianini’s restatement
Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Enea Bastianini also highlighted the same “step effect” after a late‑session tumble that left him uninjured. The Italian added that the gravel’s elevation “just bumps you into the air” and echoed Quartararo’s plea for a height adjustment that matches the tarmac.
Marc Marquez and Alex Rivals’ stance
Marquez, who was involved in the 2021 crash, reiterated that the gravel’s misalignment poses safety risks for both riders and machines. He and his brother Alex, who led the critique last year, clarified that the onus falls on track officials—not the riders—to correct the step, and they leafed the discussion open, hoping organisers will have taken lessons from the precedent.
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