The resurfacing of the Phillip Island track was discussed at last Friday’s safety committee meeting with a number of riders concerned about the current state of the track.

This was despite a record lap pace at the weekend, including in the premier class Jorge Martin broke Jorge Lawrence’s qualification record set back in 2013.

According to Ducati’s Jack Miller, the problem with the current coating is the bumps from the racing line.

“As far as the surface, it’s been there for about 10 years and it’s started to loosen up quite a bit,” Miller said.

“Just inequalities. Not so much on the racetrack, but as soon as you get off the ground, if you see someone going wide in Turn 1 or Turn 8, they’re on deck.

“That’s when she should freshen up.”

Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro said the current surface adds an unnecessary element of danger to what is already a high-speed, high-risk layout.

“We need to reasphalt,” he said. “All the riders, we love this track, we love this place. Adrenaline is very high here.

“But it is without a doubt the most dangerous track on the calendar for many reasons.

“We need new asphalt. It is very uneven, the grip is very low. Bikes are super fast, super good, way better than 10 years ago. And we just dropped the 10-year-old lap record by one-tenth. I think this is a good example.”

The feedback has already been flagged by AGPC CEO Andrew Westacott, who is open to discussing the resurfacing with track owner Linfox.

“I haven’t spoken to the track owners yet, but I heard feedback from the safety committee on Friday night,” Westacott told Motorsport.com.

“It’s been three years since we raced here. I believe it was last resurfaced in 2012, and the normal lifespan of a track is 10, 11, 12 years.

“When guys say it’s rough outside of racing, you have to believe the best riders in the world.

“So we’re going to work and see what that means in terms of improving certification. We won’t get that formal feedback right away, but we will get it and look at it, and there will be a process of prioritizing things.

“Maybe we should look at whether there are smaller things that have a bigger impact on safety. But everything goes into the list and then everything is processed directly from Dorna.”

Wildlife was another hot topic at last Friday’s safety committee meeting after Espargaro’s near miss with a wallaby in free practice 1.

How best to protect riders from animals is another matter Westacott is open to investigating before MotoGP returns next year.

“Animals can be anywhere, but the safety of the riders is paramount,” he said.

“You can go through every step [circuit] logic, but when you have the opportunity to hit wildlife at speed, it requires serious consideration. So this is a review that needs to happen.

“I don’t know what the solution is, but it’s definitely very, very important. Because whether you’re into two-wheeled or four-wheeled motorsports, you can’t have wildlife jumping on your track.

“This is something that needs to be addressed and considered sensibly by the scheme owner.”

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