Accidents and injuries in elite MotoGP motorcycle riders.

Objective: Evaluating incidence, characteristics and risk factors of accidents and injuries in each elite motorcycle racing class (MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3), 2013-2017.

Design: Descriptive epidemiological study.

Setting: MotoGP Medical Team, Dorna Sports SL.

Participants: Competing riders in elite motorcycling racing classes, 2013-2017.

Interventions: Benchmarking incidence, characteristics and risk factors of accidents and injuries in each elite motorcycle racing class, 2013-2017.

Main Outcome Measures: Association between accident type (by class and year) and fracture, withdrawal from race, need for surgery, injuries (fractures or contusions/wounds) and time riders kept inactive. Circuit and curve, weather conditions, presence and type of fracture, clinical outcome, and time until return to competition. Event outcomes were defined as rider fit/rider unfit after each accident. Racing class, track curves and circuits with the most and fewest accidents, circuit characteristics, speed and deceleration, G-forces, and time race differences between classes.

Results: 9092 accidents (mean 1818,4 per year). Most during race and under wet-weather conditions. Class and circuit with most accidents 2013-2017 were Moto3 (3374; 37.11%) and MWC - Marco Simoncelli -with 430.119/9092 accidents resulted in a fracture (1.31%), 83, surgical fractures (70%). Most frequent surgical fractures were upper extremity (clavicular; 29/119; 21%). On average, riders returned to competition after two circuits (1-5 weeks).

Conclusions: Accidents are not uncommon among elite motorcycle riders; incidences of fractures and surgical fractures are low. Factors such as weather conditions and circuit's characteristics influence the risk of accidents. Further research is necessary to clarify the magnitude of the role each of these factors play.