Raul Fernandez pins blame on Jorge Martin after MotoGP clash: "We have the data"

Raul Fernandez insists that the data proves his innocence after a nightmare Aprilia-on-Aprilia clash with title contender Jorge Martin in Sunday’s Catalan MotoGP.

Martin, who began the race just two points front world championship leading team-mate Marco Bezzecchi, slotted into second behind Pedro Acosta on the final restart.

Fernandez then launched an inside move to pass Martin at Turn 5.

But the pair tangled at the apex, leaving Martin on the ground and Fernandez at the back of the field.

"I don't think I made a mistake"

Raul Fernandez, who had earlier been struck by debris during Alex Marquez’s huge race-stopping crash, explained:

“First of all, I was a lucky boy because when I saw the chaos on the back straight, I felt a big impact on my chest from some bike parts.

“After that, the incident with Jorge was quite difficult to understand, because I had really good speed in Turn 4 and arrived to Turn 5 and ready to overtake him.

“I saw that he braked too early and I attacked him. You can see well from the helicopter video that I was almost overtaking him… 

"Then [when] he saw that it was me, he made the same as yesterday. He released the brake and put the bike again into the corner.

“First of all I feel bad for Aprilia, because I think that they don't deserve the result for both of us. I feel really bad for the team. But I don't think I made a mistake.

“I didn't come to the corner with a super speed. I didn't come to the corner over the line.

“I was just overtaking him but… he [turned in] and in that moment we touched and were both in the gravel.”

Jorge Martin "made two corners"

The FIM MotoGP Stewards reviewed the incident before deciding no further action was necessary.

Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola, who has repeatedly spoken about the need for respect between title rivals Bezzecchi and Martin, was seen exchanging some tense words with Davide Brivio after the incident.

Martin, who reacted angrily upon returning to the Aprilia garage, declined to comment publicly on the incident after the race.

Fernandez maintained that Aprilia’s telemetry data supports his version of events.

“In Turn 5, I was super strong during the weekend. I braked later than all the Aprilias and I can turn the bike. So they know that I can make this action,” he said.

“It was nothing crazy. I was in my line, I overtake him. But when he put his bike in front of my front tyre, I cannot make nothing.

“We have the data and I saw clearly that he made two corners in the moment that I was overtaking him.”

While Martin suffered a second non-score of the weekend following his Sprint crash, Bezzecchi inherited fourth place after post-race tyre pressure penalties and extended his championship lead to 15 points.