Crash after crash after crash - the riders explain why…
Brad Binder spun out of the top 10 but was able to recover his KTM, and finish 13th (the last of the riders who finished).
Binder: I expected a lot more from my race. I had a really good jump off the line. Turn 1, I made the wrong decision to go on the outside. It really hurt my progress.
The first lap was chaotic, I couldn’t get going. Five or six laps in, I felt more normal and was able to ride the bike how I wanted to.
Unfortunately I just tucked the front in one of the small corners. I ended up picking up the bike, coming home, and scoring three points.
I’m happy with three points despite the mistake.
A really bad start put us in a bit of a rough position. When I was trying to come through the field, it was tricky.
I’ve made my mistake. I’ll learn from it. I’ll try not to do it again.
Alex Marquez was wiped out on the first lap by Jorge Martin.
Marquez: It sometimes happens like this. Today it happened to Jorge, tomorrow it could happen to me.
We are on the limit. We are humans. We all make mistakes.
In this sport if you brake half a metre late, you pay.
He made a small mistake, going wide then trying to recover. He lost the front. He made a mistake, he knows what he did.
For me, it’s closed. This is something that can happen. I don’t want to criticise.
I am disappointed to lose crucial points. [On Saturday] I made a mistake, crashing alone.
Jorge Martin’s error ended his race, and took out Alex Marquez.
Martin: It is a pity that we lost the race on the first lap.
It was a difficult weekend for me, in terms of my physical condition. But I was solving the problems that were coming.
Every day I felt better. P3 in the sprint race, then I was already in front after the start.
At Turn 3 I lost the front. I am sorry that Alex crashed with me.
I hope to improve from my mistakes in the future.
Aleix Espargaro endured a race to forget, crashing before completing a single lap.
Espargaro: We did a good job this weekend. Unfortunately I couldn’t finish the race.
From the start, I had a problem with the rear height device. It didn’t come in the standard position after corner 1.
I did the first part of the track with a rear low.
When I braked in the back straight then accelerated, it was the same problem. So I crashed.
It’s a shame because we were strong and fast at a difficult track for us. So I am disappointed.
Raul Fernandez did not finish due to a malfunctioning ride height device.
Fernandez: We are unlucky. I did an amazing start. I was 13th, catching the group of Maverick Vinales and Miguel Oliveira.
I had a mechanical problem, I had to retire.
The team did a good job, Aprilia also. This sometimes happens. Sometimes we have mechanical problems.
We need a good result for my feeling with the bike. We will try in Jerez, I am optimistic.
Joan Mir hit the deck, from 10th, with 12 laps to go.
Mir: Coming from the back is difficult, difficult to overtake.
Trying to overtake Franco Morbidelli, I lost the front. That’s what happened.
It’s a difficult situation. We are not in the position to fight for the victory. This is tough.
When Takaaki Nakagami went down, he left only 14 riders remaining in the race.
Nakagami: Unfortunately I had a crash while I was P9.
I had some issues, then a crash. I am a bit disappointed. But I gave my best. Sometimes, this happens.
I tried to keep pushing, head down, I will try to get motivated for the European run. Jerez is one of my favourite tracks.
Jack Miller was on course for a podium finish before his sixth crash of the weekend.
Miller: I squared the corner before off, just a little more than the lap before, then paused on the change of direction.
Whether or not that made it load onto the front… the lean angle seemed very similar.
You’re on the limit around here. I tried sticking the elbow in, but there was no saving it.
Francesco Bagnaia was leading the race but, with three laps left, he dramatically crashed.
Bagnaia: I'm very angry, not with myself, because I'm 100% sure that wasn't my fault today. In Argentina, I recognise that I was a bit on the limit. But today, no. Today something happened, but not in terms of a cold tyre or the wind. Something we have to understand from the bike.
Stefan Bradl was replacing the injured Marc Marquez but failed to finish.
Bradl: I didn't make a mistake. I just collapsed the front wheel at Turn 13.”
