The second free practice session of the Qatar Grand Prix produced some ugly images when, after a misunderstanding on the track, Aleix Espargaro gave Franco Morbidelli a slap on the helmet. An episode that immediately came under the scrutiny of the board of sports commissioners who, after talking about it with the two protagonists, decided to sanction the Aprilia standard bearer.
Reconstructing the entire story, based on what the television images showed, Morbidelli slipped inside Espargaro at turn 5 and then the Spaniard tried to respond to him at turn 6, but at that point there was a contact and they both ended up wide.
After a brief confrontation at low speed on the escape route, the two resumed their journey along the track rather slowly, but while the Italian was signaling to Aleix to stay calm, seeing him gesticulate a lot, the Granollers driver gave him a slap on the helmet before accelerating and continuing his run.
After evaluating the incident, the panel of commissioners used a heavy hand against Espargaro, deemed responsible for unsportsmanlike behavior, imposing a six-position drop on the grid for tomorrow’s long race in Lusail. Furthermore, they also imposed a fine of 10,000 euros on him.
“On 18 November 2023 at 3.07.19 pm, during the Free Practice 2 session of the Qatar Grand Prix, his aggressive behavior was observed which physically affected the number 21 (Morbidelli)”, explains the commissioners’ provision against by Espargaro.
“This contravenes article 3.2.2.2 of the FIM Grand Prix World Championship Regulations, which states: ‘any corrupt or fraudulent act, or any action prejudicial to the interests of the event or the sport, carried out by a person or group of people that occurs during an event’. It is therefore a violation of the FIA World Grand Prix Championship Regulations, as it is detrimental to the interest of the sport.”
“For the above reasons, the FIM MotoGP Stewards’ Panel has imposed a fine of 10,000 euros and a 6-place grid penalty for the Qatar Airways MotoGP Race of the Qatar Grand Prix in accordance with articles 3.2.1 and 3.3.2.3”, concludes the note.
This means that tomorrow Aleix will drop from tenth to 16th place on the starting grid at the Lusail International Circuit with his Aprilia. Brad Binder, Augusto Fernandez, Marco Bezzecchi, Fabio Quartararo, Enea Bastianini and Jack Miller will instead take advantage of this, gaining one position each.
This was not the only sanction that arrived at the end of qualifying, because Iker Lecuona was also penalized by three positions on the grid for tomorrow’s long race for having obstructed Enea Bastianini during Q1, with an impediment that cost him the passage to the round to the Ducatista.
The Spaniard from Honda LCR occupied 21st place on the starting grid, so he will only be overtaken by the RC213V of his teammate Takaaki Nakagami.
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