Jorge Martin opposes Aprilia MotoGP boss on cause of Hungary MotoGP pile-up

Jorge Martin says that rider error was not the cause of the turn one crash at the Hungarian MotoGP in a view that opposes that of his team boss Massimo Rivola.

Martin’s turn one crash at Balaton Park two weeks ago took not only himself out of the Hungarian MotoGP but also Fermin Aldeguer and two other Aprilia riders: Raul Fernandez, and championship leader Marco Bezzecchi. 

Fabio Di Giannantonio was also involved, but remounted his VR46 Ducati and finished 13th.

Several factors were considered for the cause of the crash after the race, including rider error. This was the view of Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola when he spoke after the race, with the boss of the Noale factory’s racing department saying that Martin had made an error in braking.

Martin, though, thinks differently, and insists he didn’t make a mistake in braking for the first turn on lap one of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

“I think honestly I didn't do anything strange,” Jorge Martin said of the Hungary crash, speaking ahead of the Czech MotoGP.

“As soon as I touched the brake I lost the front so I released a bit. But for sure in this first gear corner as soon as I released I was really much faster than the rest. 

“I tried to brake again and then I lost a bit more of the front and then I lost completely the control. I really hoped at that point that I was able to recover the control but it was impossible. 

“It was a really scary crash but luckily nobody has really big injuries and we can all race here.”

On Rivola’s comments in Hungary, Martin added: “I mean at the end of the day it's his opinion. I cannot share the opinion [with] everybody. Every person has their own opinion.

“But as I said before I was the first one that didn't want to crash into [anybody]. 

“I'm so sorry for the teams. I just want to learn from that mistake. 

“But this is racing. Sometimes I make it, sometimes they make it to me, sometimes other riders can crash into other riders and the important thing for me is to learn and that luckily nothing important happened.”

Martin added that he feels the asphalt at turn one, which had been resurfaced after the WorldSBK race there at the beginning of May, had been a factor in his crash.

“Absolutely, the asphalt was a complete disaster in corner one,” he said.

“It's funny but in the safety commission I was telling like you should put stronger [penalties] to somebody that crashed into corner one. So, I was the first one that didn't want this to happen, but this is racing and we just need to learn from the mistakes.”

As well as the asphalt, one aspect of the first corner crash at Balaton that was discussed afterwards was the role of start devices in such instances. Diogo Moreira was one rider who said afterwards that the start devices make it more difficult to brake for the first corner.

Martin, too, believes that the removal of start devices will reduce the risk of a crash going into the first turn.

“I think it [removing start devices] will help,” said Martin. “It's difficult to understand exactly the parameter of how much will improve but for sure when we do for example the warm-up lap without the front device you feel the front. 

“When we start the race as soon as you brake everything is so strange and it's really difficult to stop the bike. I hope it will improve in terms of safety.”