Marquez v Espargaro
Sunday ’ s controversy centered around two turn one moves , both of which included Marc Marquez and Aleix Espargaro . The Aprilia man was incensed after his fellow Catalan pushed him wide at turn one , pushing him from seventh to eleventh . Then from the restart a near repeat occurred , at the same place with the same riders , on lap one . This time , Espargaro dropped from sixth to 17th .
Marquez held his ground , stating . “ I mean , this is racing . In the first one . I went in , I didn ’ t expect to have such a big contact but it was there . And in the second one , it was his mistake . In the brake point I was parallel with
Viñales and Aprilia , together for 2022 ?
Reports from Italian media on Saturday confirmed Maverick Viñales has a deal in place which will see him compete for Aprilia in 2022 . At Assen , the Catalan sensationally decided to quit the factory Yamaha team at the close of this year , mid-way through a two-year contract , with Aprilia being his most likely destination .
Even still , no confirmation came over the five-week summer break . But it is believed Viñales has signed a one-year deal to race the much-improved RS-GP next year . Aprilia ’ s lead rider Aleix Espargaro is excited by the prospect . “ The Aprilia project , you can ’ t imagine how it improved the last 2 or 3 years . Now this factory is unbelievable . It ’ s a top bike but it ’ s still growing . The thing is not how good we are now , but how shiny the future is for us . This project suits him very good . I know him well . He will be very happy if he can come here .”
Morbidelli gets upgraded
him . But he released the brakes and went in , but Quartararo was inside and we had contact . But first race my mistake , second race his mistake .”
Meanwhile Espargaro insisted he was more upset at the lack of punishment that came Marquez ’ s way than the rider himself . “ I won ’ t blame him . Marc is Marc . Every race he does overtakes like this for the last ten years . What I want to blame is the stewards panel . I don ’ t know , maybe they were watching the last day of the Olympics .”
Fernandez confirmed at Tech3 KTM for
2022 KTM bosses chose Saturday to confirm Raul Fernandez will complete its MotoGP™ line-up in 2022 with the current Moto2™ contender stepping up to the Tech 3 team alongside current teammate Remy Gardner . The 20-year old Spaniard sits second overall after a sterling rookie claiming six podiums and three wins from his first nine starts in the class .
The timing of the announcement – made mid-way through Saturday ’ s FP4 session – caught the Tech 3 team off-guard , however . Tech 3 boss Hervé Poncharal didn ’ t inform riders Iker Lecuona and Danilo Petrucci before . “ This is a weird moment to announce such a big , great and positive news through FP4 ,” he said . “ The plan was to finally sit down on Sunday and decide and of course inform our riders what is going to be the situation for 2022 .”
Petrucci said , “ I was the first one in Assen to say if I was in trousers of KTM ’ s management , I would sign with Raul . But then in all the interviews they made , it was quite funny to see they still act like nothing was decided ! But instead everything was decided . When someone doesn ’ t answer the phone , I mean you are for sure not renewing the contract .”
It ’ s believed the order to release the news today came from CEO Stefan Pierer , who was sick of seeing Fernandez ’ s name linked with a Yamaha seat .
Yamaha has confirmed that Franco Morbidelli will take over the seat vacated by Viñales in the Monster Energy Yamaha team for 2022 . In an interview with Motomatters . com , Yamaha Managing Director Lin Jarvis signaled this was the factory ’ s intention .
Morbidelli ’ s departure , coupled with Valentino Rossi ’ s retirement means Petronas SRT Yamaha is now seeking two new riders , and not just one . Moto2™ contender Marco Bezzecchi has been one name linked . On who Petronas Yamaha should hire , Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow , deputizing for the injured Morbidelli
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