The BMF has welcomed a move by MSV Trackdays (MSVT) to penalise riders who act irresponsibly on track days. Lots of riders enjoy days out on race circuits, a chance to hone high speed riding skills in a relatively safe environment, but MSV Trackdays – the largest operator in the UK – is threatening some with bans of six, 12 months, or even permanently, for dangerous behaviour on track.

MSV, which runs events at Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Snetterton, Cadwell Park, Donnington Park and Bedford Autodrome, has introduced the measure to combat what it says is poor riding. Offences include, “close, aggressive or dangerous overtaking, rider contact, overtaking under a red or yellow flag and showing aggression towards other customers and staff.”

Anyone found offending will be given a ‘yellow card’ verbal warning – two yellow cards means a red card, which results in a six-month ban. A second red card would bring a 12-month ban; a third red card brings a lifelong ban from MSVT events.

MSVT maintains that the number of offending riders is relatively small, but that it needed to take action. MSV Trackdays Manager Mark Rusted told BikeSocial: “We wanted a mechanism that would help identify the low percentage of riders that were being spoken to on more than the odd occasion, but never went beyond a warning on any given day. Now warnings are tracked. We keep a record centrally for every rider that has been issued a warning (not just issued a black flag) on MSVT dates across the MSV group of circuits.”

Jim Freeman, Chair of the BMF, added: “If track day riders want to go racing, that’s what they should do, many riders like track days because they’re non-competitive. I suspect some of the offenders would get a nasty shock, if they did. ”

Written by Peter Henshaw

Top image courtesy of MSV Trackdays