PICS: Holgado takes "full responsibility" after team-mate Alonso suffers huge Mandalika highside

Dani Holgado apologised after triggering a huge race-stopping highside for team-mate and fellow 2027 MotoGP rider David Alonso at the start of Sunday’s Mandalika Moto2 Grand Prix.

Holgado fell after tagging the back of Alonso’s bike in the Turn 1 melee, with the contact then launching the Colombian spectacularly into the air.

Joe Roberts and Collin Veijer were also caught up in the aftermath, prompting the race to be red-flagged.

"I take full responsibility"

“I’d like to apologise for what happened, both to my team-mate David Alonso and to the team,” Holgado said.

“These things sometimes happen in the first few corners, but I’m not using that as an excuse, and I take full responsibility for my mistake.

“I braked and found myself right next to David; unfortunately, we both went down. I’m sorry.”

Holgado and Veijer were able to take the restart, while Alonso was taken to hospital with a pulmonary contusion, or lung bruise, but escaped further injuries.

Roberts also missed the restart due to a rear brake problem on his repaired machine.

Holgado recovered to finish third behind Izan Guevara and Manuel Gonzalez.

“It was difficult to get back on the bike after the crash,” Holgado said.

“My hand was sore because, in the crash, it had got slightly caught on his wheel.

“There was also a problem with the bike when shifting into fifth gear: I don’t know what was happening, but the bike would cut out the throttle and that caused me to fall behind, especially in the final sector.

“I fell behind Izan Guevara and Manu González closed the gap on me significantly, but I gave it everything I had. 

"I’m gutted because I would have liked us both to have been able to battle it out right to the end.”

Holgado will race for Gresini Ducati in MotoGP next season while HRC is yet to confirm if Alonso will ride alongside Fabio Quartararo at the factory team or with Johann Zarco at LCR .