Huge Hungary MotoGP first corner crash “predictable”

The first corner crash at the Hungarian MotoGP was “predictable”, says Luca Marini.

The Honda rider finished the race fifth, having been passed for fourth late on by Ai Ogura, but this was largely thanks to the turn one crash that eliminated several top contenders: Marco Bezzecchi, Raul Fernandez, Jorge Martin, and Fermin Aldeguer. Fabio Di Giannantonio also crashed, but remounted and finished 12th.

The crash was caused by Jorge Martin losing control in braking; his Aprilia careered into Bezzecchi, Fernadez, Aldeguer, and Di Giannantonio, who had no way to avoid the crash.

For Marini, the crash was unsurprising, even though the Sprint start and the Moto3 and Moto2 starts were clean.

“This was predictable, in my opinion,” Luca Marini said of the crash, “because yesterday we were super-careful, but today, for the big prize, you risk everything there because you know that you can achieve a good result if you finish the first lap in the first three positions. 

“It’s a pity for them [the riders involved] for sure, but everybody is okay so it will be fine.”

Marini added: “I saw it very clearly and I said ‘He’s [Martin] going to strike, so I need to brake more and be ready to turn in, because for sure it will be a disaster’. 

“I expected a red flag, but no, but if everybody was good, perfect.”

In Marini’s opinion, the layout not only of the first corner but the whole track, as well as the new surface in turn one, was a factor in causing the crash.

“For sure, the layout doesn’t help because you need to stop until 40kph,” he said.

“The layout of the track doesn’t help because every position you gain [at turn one] is one less rider you have to overtake in 27 laps. So, this combination.

“Also they did a bad job with the [asphalt], this we have to say, but we spoke about it with MotoGP and there was a misunderstanding between them and the track.

“The things didn’t [go] in a good way. 

“But for sure it’s like when you start in wet condition: it’s wet, it’s slippery, you have to take care. 

“So, yesterday everything went fine, Moto3, Moto2 everything went fine… Can happen.”

Mir: “Very easy that something happens” at Balaton

Marini’s Honda HRC Castrol teammate, Joan Mir, also pointed out that it was more difficult to brake for the first corner if you started from the right-hand side of the grid.

“In this track, it’s very easy that something happens because turn one is very slippery and there is only one clean line that is the line, but then the riders that start on the right side of the track, it’s very difficult to stop, so Jorge [Martin] locked the front,” Mir explained.

“Then, the problem was, when I saw that he was coming I said ‘Here will happen something’. So, hopefully everyone is okay.”