Scott Redding expresses most security concerns

Located outside the Czech capital Prague, Most was a late addition to the WSBK 2021 calendar, added at the end of April as an indirect replacement for the Phillip Island round which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 4.212 km track has never hosted a world championship level event on two or four wheels, although it did host a European Le Mans Series event in 2001 and is expected to host both the Euro NASCAR Series and the FIA ​​European Truck Racing. Championship this year.

Redding was one of a handful of riders who got the chance to try Most in a private test last month using a road version of the Ducati Panigale V4 R he is racing for the Italian marque.

But the experience left him in doubt that the circuit, with its lack of clearances, would be suitable even for a national championship like the British Superbike, let alone the WSBK.

“The layout of the track, really nice,” said Redding. “The tarmac is completely destroyed in the first corner and there is absolutely no grip so if it gets wet it will be a big problem. But the rest of the track is good, it flows well.

“But there are two places where it is very dangerous, where you go at high speed and there is not much runoff towards the barrier. Even if there is an overhead fence there, it will not do. not much.

“We’re in this situation with COVID, the guys had to do their best to put us together for a championship, which I totally respect, so we have to try. I’m not slamming Dorna or the FIM.

“But it’s not worthy of the World Superbike. Even the British Superbike … there are some sketchy places [on the calendar] in BSB and I would put Most with these. It is not made for the speed and the level that we reach. “

Most got a five-year contract to host the WSBK, securing them a place on the calendar until the 2025 season.

Redding said he expects safety improvements to be made during this time, but questioned whether the series’ organizers were content with the current condition of the track instead of taking preventative measures. .

“When I was there with the road bike I felt I was too fast for the track, and with the Superbike I will be three or four seconds faster,” he said. “A lot of it will be in the corners.

“I’m still a little scared because sometimes these things don’t get sorted out until something bad happens. But nowadays we have the knowledge and the experience to go, ‘it doesn’t. is probably not sure ‘. “