Indy road course could be reversed

With the track believed to be close to a deal to host a MotoGP race as early as 2008, preliminary discussions have taken place between circuit officials and series organisers about revising the track to make it suitable for motorbikes.

The biggest change to the circuit layout is likely to be at Turn 13 of the road course, which is the first corner of the oval.

The close proximity of the wall on the exit of the current layout is an obvious safety concern for bikes, and there has been widespread talk of the course being altered to cut into the infield at this point rather than use the full turn.

High-level sources close to the negotiations between MotoGP and Indianapolis have also revealed that as well as those track modifications, the plan is for the direction of the road course to be reversed from its current clockwise configuration.

This would minimise the danger of riders heading towards the famous Indianapolis wall and, with the bikes using this configuration, it is understood that it is being seriously considered for the F1 race as well.

It is thought that Indianapolis ultimately favours F1 using the anti-clockwise route because it would then mean its four big events - the Indy 500, the Brickyard 500, the US Grand Prix and MotoGP - would then all run in the same direction.

A source close to the discussions said: "Indianapolis plans to run it anti-clockwise for MotoGP, the same as the Indy 500. They would like F1 to use the same course too, so that all four events would run the same direction."

At the moment the road course runs in a clockwise direction after the circuit felt the design created for the inaugural 2000 event worked better that way.

Kevin Forbes, Indianapolis' director of engineering and construction, told Autosport at the time: "It was not hard to determine the direction. The layout was a whole lot safer in one direction than the other. And the pit entry and exit work better clockwise."

Any concerns about the safety of running the road course anti-clockwise would be alleviated by modifications required for MotoGP - which will require a new pit exit anyway.

Any plans to change the direction of the road course for the US Grand Prix would require full approval from the sport's governing body, although it is not thought that there would be any objections if the changes met F1's high safety standards.

Indianapolis have drawn short of confirming talk about changing the direction of the road course, but spokesman Ron Green told autosport.com that revisions to the track were not being ruled out.

"IMS continues to work toward presenting a major motorcycle event in 2008 or 2009," he said. "This is a process that began as early as 2003.

"We are being as thorough as possible. Modifications to the current road course could possibly be made before any motorcycle event takes place."