Young riders urged to help on safety

The sport's veterans were particularly unimpressed that other riders did not get involved in discussions about Donington Park's track surface at last weekend's meeting, despite several being very unhappy about the situation.

And Rossi and Capirossi have urged their rivals to reconsider their position - especially now that the future of the commission's third member Kenny Roberts Jr is in doubt.

"A lot of riders say, 'aaahhh, this track is shit', 'with the asphalt no way', but then at 5pm on Fridays, nobody comes. Never," Rossi told autosport.com.

"A lot of people speak with the journalists, but then never come to the meetings. Why? I don't know, because it's open to everybody. If they want to come then we can try to fix the problem together."

Then adopting a sarcastic tone, Rossi added: "Maybe it's too difficult to stay every Friday after a long day to talk about kerbs, the track and its surface."

Capirossi said he was equally disappointed that other riders were so unwilling to get regularly involved - especially considering the concerns expressed after the wet practice at Donington Park.

"The Safety Commission is open to everybody - from 125cc, 250cc or MotoGP. It is not just me and Valentino. Many times Dani (Pedrosa) has come, Olivier Jacque has come. When somebody has some idea it is open to everybody.

"But the problem is nobody wants to take the offer. Everybody wants to have free time, nobody wants to come from 5pm until 7pm on Fridays. It is something we have to do all the time.

"It is like a test we have to do - we go at a certain time. Maybe the other riders don't want to have all those things."

The Safety Commission meetings are held every Friday at race meetings. Rossi, Loris Capirossi and up until last weekend Kenny Roberts Jr attend, putting their views forward to Riders' Safety delegate Franco Uncini, the FIM's Claude Danis, Race Director Paul Butler and Carmelo Espeleta of Dorna.

MotoGP championship leader Casey Stoner was one of the most outspoken critics about the track surface at Donington Park in the wet, but felt it was not up to him to get involved in discussions with series bosses.

"It is not my job, it is the Safety Commission's," he said. "It is one person's voice against another's. Maybe if people start asking me about these things then I will say something, but for now I have to just let it go."

Reigning champion Nicky Hayden conceded, however, that he ought to be "less selfish" towards his own race weekend and put time aside for the commission meetings.