SBK: Borciani "What happened to Andrea and Alessia should be an incentive for the future"

A week has now passed since the tragic accident that occurred at the Moscow Raceway during the first heat of the Supersport which took away a promising motorcycling talent, but above all a young man like Andrea Antonelli, too soon.
To talk about him, we wanted to reach out by telephone to Marco Borciani, former rider and team manager of the series derivatives and future federal technician from the FIM, who remembered the 25-year-old Umbrian, without forgetting Alessia Polita, who lost the use of her limbs in June lower following a fall during the Stock 600 tests valid for the CIV.

“They were both terrible news – he commented – In the Superbike paddock there is a family that follows the camper races, they have no one involved in the competitions, but they are always present because they are passionate and have slowly become a point of reference for all the kids who they go there to have a chat and relax, so I met Andrea in that context. I'm not saying this because of what happened, but he was a really good guy, he deeply loved his job, he wasn't interested in appearance, fame or comfort, unlike 80% of his colleagues, he only cared about running. He was very honest and when results didn't arrive, he never blamed others or the bike, as we often see. Unfortunately he never had a truly competitive vehicle, probably due to the lack of big sponsors behind him, but this year with a decent bike, but still far from those of the leaders, he was already doing very well and as his father revealed in some interviews in Moscow hoped for rain which highlights the qualities of those who drive more".

What can you tell us about the accident?

First of all it is bad to discuss security only in these cases. If the track was really so dangerous due to the strong presence of water then the SBK too had to be stopped. However, it is very difficult to make judgments if you are not present with the facts. In this case, the TV images give an idea of ​​the conditions, while the amateur ones appearing on You Tube give another idea. Having said that, such a dynamic always produces this effect. I remember in 1999 when Brett Macleod crashed in South Africa, Meregalli behind him had gone off course to overtake him, didn't see him and hit him squarely. In the end there is little you can do if a motorbike comes at you even at 80 km/h and hits you in the neck or chest.

In your opinion, what should be done to increase safety and avoid running into controversies about the feasibility or otherwise of the races?

I think a former driver should be appointed, therefore someone who has practiced the sport, but without direct interests, to lend a hand to the commission in deciding on the viability of the circuit, because often those who race, especially if they know they can win or perhaps obtain a bonus in money, is unable to be "lucid" enough to give directions.

Immediately after the event, more than one person reported that the track was in fact dangerous due to the absence of draining asphalt, which could not be laid due to excessively low temperatures. Why then do people agree to compete in places that are not at the top and also have no history?

I believe that if the situation had been truly unsustainable the riders would have opted not to start as happened last year in Monza. That said, if it is necessary to go to Russia at the moment because it is a growing market, we must do so. The economic factor should not be overlooked, because if there is no money, the tenders will not even be held and therefore we need to focus on territories where sales can be important. Faced with these problems it is perhaps necessary to pay more attention in checks and intervene for example by creating a greater gradient on the straight, which is the critical point, or perhaps changing the date, but it wouldn't be right to remove this event from the calendar. Without thinking about extreme races like the Tourist Trophy which I don't agree with, when I raced we went to Brands Hatch which has 200km/h corners with very close walls. We also competed in the rain and the risks were high, but we were crazy about that track. In the end we must take into account that ours is a sport in which you can die or be impaired.

However, what happened to Alessia was no less traumatic...

Yes a real shock. Among other things, I learned from reliable sources that they had removed the air fence on the corner where it happened. An absurd thing because it's always there, so I don't understand the reason to remove it for the Italian Championship. Do they consider it less important? For me everyone should be treated the same way. As far as I'm concerned I'm quite fatalistic, so it's not a given that the outcome would have been different, but if there was a need for protection there, you had to be there. You must never be cavalier or think that nothing will happen in the meantime. If we take for example the accident that Valentino Rossi had at Mugello, the presence of the air fence was a salvation because even on that occasion the impact was violent. If there is the possibility of containing the dangers, I don't understand why it shouldn't be done.

As a pilot, what would you like to say to her at such a complicated moment in her life?

Faced with certain episodes, words fail and it is difficult to find a way to truly cheer up a person who has seen his life turned upside down overnight. Think I didn't even write to her! Personally, I only hope that these two sad events can be an incentive for those involved in security to intervene in a more widespread manner.