Moto2: Simon unlikely to have caused slippery MotoGP starts
By Lisa Lewis
Former 125cc world champion and Moto2 runner up Julian Simon showed his strength of character at Le Mans when, shortly after Thomas Luthi's victory, the Suter rider was seen pushing his Blusens bike over the finish line to take 13th place.
It seemed a commendable act by a determined rider, but subsequent grip problems suffered by part of the grid at the start of the MotoGP race prompted rumours that fluid may have leaked from Simon's bike in process.
Randy de Puniet dramatically lost control of his ART moments after the red lights went out and Ducati's Nicky Hayden, another to suffer, later suggested "something was on the track".
But both the Blusens team and Simon have confirmed that his problem was in fact electrical - rather than engine failure or a fall - making it highly unlikely he was to blame.
Simon was battling confidently for sixth place in the tricky conditions when the fault occurred, after recovering from being tangled up in an earlier incident with Simone Corsi.
"I am pleased because I have done the most you could do today," he said. "The race was very crazy but I enjoyed driving in these complicated conditions. Corsi's fall has hurt me a lot but I could overcome it and get to Espargaro's group. In the end [I was] fighting for the sixth position but the bike stopped almost at the finish by an electrical problem outside the team. In Montmelo I hope to have more luck".
The Blusens Avintia team believed their Spanish star deserved more:
"In the last turn of the last lap, Julian's bike stopped working from an electrical problem. Demonstrating his honour, Simon crosses the finish pushing the bike to get the points for thirteenth position. Without doubt, he deserved better".
Simon also confirmed that he didn't fall at the final corner. The incident was not televised, but when asked by an inquisitive fan on Twitter, Simon replied "No, power failure, did not fall."
The Moto2 season continues at the Montmelo circuit in Barcelona, beginning with Friday practice on the 1st June.
