On Track Off Road No. 185

MXGP
MIND THE (GOGGLE) GAP
Observant visitors to Matterley
Basin may spotted the new
‘Goggle Lane’ at the end of the
pit straight. This area/initiative
is new for 2019 and in reaction
to the amendment to the
FIM rulebook stating that riders
must circulate during races with
eyewear; if goggles are ditched
then racers have until the following
lap to either pit or enter the
Goggle Lane to grab a new pair.
MXGP athletes were informed
about the addition to their potential
race strategy at the opening
round in Argentina where they
were also told – allegedly – that
there would be no ‘hard enforcement’
of the rules for 2019 as
the paddock acclimatises to the
presence and use of the Goggle
Lane.
Anstie rightfully cited the example
of Calvin Vlaanderen’s misfortune
at the 2018 Motocross
of Nations as justification. The
HRC man was forced to ditch
his eye protection in the RedBud
mud and subsequent medical/
cleansing treatment meant he
could not enter the final moto
in the USA and the Netherlands
missed out on what would have
been a sure-fire victory. “It’s so
they don’t have the situation
like with Calvin at the Nations,”
affirmed the Standing Construct
KTM rider. “Maybe if they had
the Goggle Lane [there] then he
wouldn’t have had that issue. It is
a good thing that they recognised
it and they are trying to see what
happens. It might be only one or
two races where we’ll use it. We’ll
see. 90% of the time you don’t
need to change goggles.”
HRC’s Tim Gajser pointed out
the potential ‘tactical’ problem
with the Goggle Lane and onelap
rule for the future: will a
rider take more risk with dirty or
malfunctioning goggles rather
than lose time making a forced
change? It is a scenario that
could well arise, particularly
towards the end of races and for
final positions. “For safety it is
better but from the other side
nobody will want to lose time by
throwing the goggles away and
might persist with muddy ones
or try to look with one eye to try
and not stop,” he said. “It has a
positive and some bad about it.”
“They said they were not going
to penalise anyone if you don’t
stop,” revealed Max Anstie at
Matterley Basin. “I think for this
year it doesn’t matter. They’ve
done it [established the Goggle
Lane] to make it faster and to
make the riders want to do it.”
“I haven’t tried it yet but it seems
like a good idea to me,” voiced
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s
Thomas Kjer Olsen. “It is so
dangerous to ride without goggles
and to go right through the
pitlane takes a while. I haven’t
seen it being used yet but it
could work.”