It cost quite dearly to Fabio Quartararo his first mistake of the season, made in Turn 5 during the fourth lap of the Dutch Grand Prix. On the Assen track, considered by fans to be the true ‘university of motorcycling’, the French champion behaved like an unprepared student. In what he himself defined as a “rookie mistake“, In fact, the Yamaha rider forced an impossible attack inside Aleix Espargarò’s bike, falling badly due to a handlebar closure and forcing even the Spanish friend-rival of the Aprilia into the gravel. Quartararo thus collected the first zero of the season, while Aleix was very skilled in staying on his feet and even recovering from 15th to fourth position, with an impressive sequence of masterpiece overtaking.
After the race, in addition to the damage suffered in the standings, 13 points lost in favor of Espargarò and a good 25 by Pecco Bagnaia, however, for Quartararo the insult also arrived. The Race Direction, in fact, which had decided to investigate the episode involving the first and second of the world rankings after the race, imposed on the Nice native a long lap penalty to be served in the next Silverstone race. A not indifferent blow to El Diablo which risks complicating the # 20’s chances of victory on the English track. The sanction was harshly criticized by the Yamaha leaders with Maio Meregalliteam director of the Iwata house, who pointed the finger at Race Direction and commissioners.
“We consider Fabio’s first crash as a race accident and we believe that the decision of the Race Direction to give him a sanction for the next GP is not only tough – considering that he has not dragged anyone to the ground and that Aleix has still scored points – but it is not even consistent with the racing accidents we have seen. in previous GPs and that have gone unpunished“Commented Meregalli. The most immediate example that comes to mind is contact triggered by Takaaki Nakagami in Barcelona, in turn 1, and which cost Pecco Bagnaia and Alex Rins to retire. In that case the Japanese driver was not punished because, he told himself, he had not braked late compared to the other drivers. “We will use this break to digest this GP and we will be back ready to fight at Silverstone in a month”the Yamaha executive commented.
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