MotoGP: Donington Park to undergo security review after British MotoGP

Security at next year’s British MotoGP could be increased after a number of incidents at Donington Park last month, which included graffiti being scrawled on Valentino Rossi’s motorhome.

A small minority of unruly fans targeted Valentino Rossi’s motorhome with one graffiti message still visible on his motorhome in Assen last weekend. 

Written in black marker pen on the back right side of Rossi’s motor home the message reads: ‘Dear Rossi. We came. U did not sign.” The person who wrote the ironic jibe, obviously furious at not managing to grab an autograph of the seven-times world champion, signed off in their own name.

Valentino Rossi’s senseless motorhome attack was not an isolated incident. Several other incidents were reported to the International Race Teams Association, including the theft of a paddock scooter, which was dumped at the nearby East Midlands Airport.

Valentino Rossi shrugged off the motorhome vandalism when he said: “There were problems before and after the race. I think the problem is the alcohol.

“When you go over one point, it’s always difficult to try to contain all the people. People sign on my motorhome, my scooter was on the ground and this is quite bad.”

Incidents like those at Donington Park are not unique to the Derbyshire circuit, with several races struck by security breaches.

John Hopkins had a set of leathers stolen in Mugello and in 2006 a set of Ohlins forks were lifted in Le Mans.

But IRTA boss Mike Trimby confirmed that incidents last month would be discussed with Donington Park officials.

“The incident with Valentino is regrettable. You anticipate a few things going missing over the weekend because there are criminal elements around, but vandalism is not acceptable,” said Trimby, who added while there will be a security review at Donington it was hard to stamp out incidents like those that occurred at the British GP completely.

“It’s not a unique problem for Donington. There is always a hooligan element among some spectators and I don’t know what we can do to stop it. We have a lot of security in the paddock but it’s impossible for them to be anywhere.

“We have a policy of allowing a lot of guests into the paddock, unlike other motorsport events and there will always be an element of those that are up to no good,” Trimby told MCN.