P1racenews AI automatic summary:
What MotoGP’s 2023 crash stats say about the sprint format
Sprint races have become a permanent feature in MotoGP, with the aim of attracting more fans to the series. The 2023 trackside attendance figures show that this goal has been achieved, with 15 out of 20 events seeing an increase in Saturday attendance compared to 2022. However, it’s important to note that the 2022 season was still affected by the COVID pandemic, which may have impacted attendance numbers. Additionally, the fact that none of the 39 races in 2023 featured the entire grid is concerning and raises questions about the high number of crashes last year. In total, there were 358 crashes in the MotoGP class in 2023, marking the highest-crashing campaign in over a decade. While there was only a slight increase in crashes compared to 2022, a significant number of crashes occurred during sprint races. Most crashes, however, still occurred in grand prix races, with numerous early-race pile-ups being a contributing factor. The increase in crashes could be partly attributed to the sprint race format, as indicated by the crash statistics from Friday practice sessions.
