Aprilia outlines rules of engagement after Catalunya MotoGP fallout
Aprilia holds a meeting to avoid a repeat of the Jorge Martin/Raul Fernandez collision on Catalunya.
Aprilia held a meeting with both of its MotoGP teams in the aftermath of a costly collision between Jorge Martin and Raul Fernandez in Catalunya.
The pair collided as Fernandez tried to overtake Martin on the opening lap of the final restart, leaving title contender Martin on the ground and putting both riders at the back of the field.
“After Barcelona, we had a meeting all together, us and the Trackhouse guys,” Aprilia team manager Paolo Bonora told MotoGP pit lane reporter Jack Appleyard on Friday at Mugello.
“Everybody understood that it is necessary to be more quiet during the race, in particular where we are fighting to score points. So everything is under control.”
While Martin's anger made clear who he thought was to blame, Fernandez insisted Martin "released the brake" when he saw Fernandez and "put his bike in front of my front tyre".
Asked about the latest rules of engagement following the meeting, Bonora replied:
“Respect... Wait a little bit to make a manoeuvre. Don't attack if there is not enough space. And, at the end, respect.”
Martin took out some of his frustration by pushing Bonora after returning to the pit box, for which the Spaniard later apologised.
“Regarding the Jorge Martin reaction, to be fully honest with you, I love Jorge, I love this passion because it means that he was thinking that he lost the opportunity to make good points,” Bonora said.
“So it was not good to see in the TV, but you have to know that he is a strong talent. He knows that he was able to do something good.
“We found at the end on Sunday a good setup, particularly for him. And he lost the opportunity to make points.”
Bonora added that a similar incident between Martin and Fernandez on Saturday had added to the emotions.
“He was disappointed because during Saturday, something quite similar happened… but the effect was not so critical as on Sunday.
“I can't say to you the bad words - but he was saying, ‘it happened another time, it happened another time’. So this was the reason.
“I totally understood that reaction. It was not good to see, but now everything is clear.”
Marco Bezzecchi takes a 15-point lead over team-mate Martin into this weekend’s home Italian MotoGP.
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