The promising MotoGP weekend in Mandalika for Raul Fernandez came to a sudden and bitter end following a first-lap crash in the Sprint race. The Trackhouse Racing rider had previously demonstrated remarkable pace throughout Friday's practice sessions and secured a front-row start during qualifying, highlighting the exceptional competitiveness of the Aprilia RS-GP at the Mandalika International Street Circuit.
However, any hopes of converting that speed into a strong result were dashed immediately when the lights went out. The Spaniard lost ground at the start and was forced to negotiate the opening corner from the outside, running close to Marco Bezzecchi, Marc Marquez, and Fabio Di Giannantonio. As Bezzecchi was forced to take a wider line, the Italian crossed over and made contact, taking Fernandez down within meters of the start.
In the post-race press conference, Fernandez did not hold back his frustration regarding his brand colleague's aggressive maneuver. Pointing out the extreme physical risks riders take while hurtling past 300 km/h, he expressed immense anger at being forced off the track. Fernandez explained that he had tried to keep his machine in the middle of the track to defend his line, only for Bezzecchi to aggressively push him wide.
The young Spaniard emphasized that Aprilia had explicitly instructed their riders before the start to maintain a gentlemanly approach and avoid unnecessary battles among themselves, knowing their package had a strong advantage at the Indonesian venue. Fernandez argued that helping Ducati rivals open the door to victory through internal skirmishes was a poor strategic move, although he conceded that race control was unlikely to penalize the move.
Following the violent crash, Fernandez's participation in the main Grand Prix remained uncertain. While he intended to test his physical condition during Sunday morning warm-up, the incident threatened to completely derail what had otherwise been a highly competitive weekend for the Aprilia rider in Lombok.
Baca Juga
Alex Rins terima ancaman pembunuhan usai insiden marshal di MotoGP Indonesia. Simak analisis lengkap dan respons sang pembalap di sini.
Simak analisis lengkap kemarahan Raul Fernandez usai insiden crash dengan Marco Bezzecchi di MotoGP Mandalika. Baca berita selengkapnya di sini!
Simak analisis lengkap insiden panas antara Marco Bezzecchi dan Raul Fernandez di MotoGP 2026. Baca detail selengkapnya di sini!
Lanjutkan dengan Google
Diskusi & Komentar (0)
Mari Bergabung dalam Diskusi!
Masuk dengan mudah untuk mulai memberikan komentar, membalas, dan berinteraksi dengan pembaca lainnya.
Komentar Terbaru
Belum ada komentar. Jadilah yang pertama!