P1racenews AI automatic summary:
What MotoGP’s 2023 crash stats say about the sprint format
The introduction of sprint races in MotoGP was aimed at increasing interest in the series, and the trackside attendance figures for 2023 suggest that it was successful. Of the 15 events that had comparable data, 15 showed an increase in Saturday attendance compared to 2022. Some events may have been affected by the COVID hangover in 2022, but overall, 16 events surpassed their 2022 figures. MotoGP adding an entertaining alternative to a fourth practice coincided with a strong year of trackside attendance. However, the fact that none of the 39 races in 2023 featured the entire grid is a concerning statistic, alongside 2022 being the highest-crashing campaign in over a decade, with a total of 358 crashes in the MotoGP class alone. Most crashes still occurred in grands prix, but the sprint framework may have contributed to the overall increase in falls in 2023.
