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Teams and riders of the MotoGP world championship will have a state-of-the-art medical facility at every remaining Grand Prix of the 2018 season. The new trackside service made its debut on Friday ahead of this weekend’s MotoGP race at the Circuit de Catalunya.
The new rolling clinic is called “Clinica Mobile,” and its new structure concept allows it to provide one medical room, two physiotherapy rooms, and one additional suite for rehabilitation and relaxation purposes such as stretching and yoga. In addition to the medical services, the facility boasts a lounging terrace, a reception area, and two offices: one for Doctor Michele Zasa, head of the Clinica Mobile, and one for Doctor Angel Charte, MotoGP medical director.
The main purpose for such an advanced facility is to provide the riders and other team members with the best medical care as quickly as they may need it, which in the case of the riders, every second between a crash and seeing a doctor counts dearly.
“When we first became involved in MotoGP in 1992, one of the key things we wanted to improve was safety,” said Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of MotoGP governing body Dorna Sports. “With a facility such as the Clinica Mobile, the World Championship continues getting safer and safer, and we’ve taken a huge step forward during recent years. This evolution and new facility ensures the level of care will remain incredibly high for both the riders and the personnel in the paddock during each race weekend.”
Clinica Mobile can count on a staff of 25 people who work on rotation at every race including six physiotherapists, one doctor, two trauma and orthopedic surgeons, and one radiographer. They each come to all races to provide general medicine, physiotherapy, rehabilitation therapy and Traumatology, and orthopedic consultations around the clock. When it comes to equipment, the Clinica is equipped with x-ray machines, cryotherapy chambers, laser therapy, and magnetotherapy.
“The Clinica Mobile increases safety when we’re racing,” said Marc Marquez, reigning MotoGP World Champion. “For every rider, it’s very important because most of the time after crashing we depend on them to enable us to compete. It’s where our ‘guardian angels’ really are.”
Although unrelated, the unveiling of this new medical facility at the Circuit de Catalunya is a painful reminder of the recent racing facility that took place at the circuit just a few days ago, when 14-year-old Moto2 rider Andreas Perez died as a result of a racing crash.
