Unlucky weekend for Simon

41 riders on the tightest track present on the MotoGP calendar was never going to end cleanly and, true to predictions, five riders crashed out of the German Grand Prix on the opening lap. Heavy morning rain had been cleared somewhat by the 125cc riders, but the asphalt was still capable of a few surprises by the time Moto2 rolled around. Caution was the name of the game, as several more riders were forced to retire in a race won by Toni Elias from Andrea Iannone and Roberto Rolfo.

Mapfre Aspar riders had been on the pace all weekend, working well and placing high up in qualifying. Unfortunately, the team were unable to convert their Saturday form into points on Sunday. Julián Simón started from the front row in Sachsenring, and was in the fight for the victory at the end of the first lap. He was riding in third place later, but his race came to an early end when he hit a bump on the corner and fell to the ground. He was unable to restart his 600cc machine.

Julián Simón (DNF): “Despite the crash, I still believe that the championship is up for grabs. Toni had some luck today and worked well; he’s very consistent at the moment. We have to learn that you have to take few risks when conditions don’t permit riding all-out. I was going for the win, because I felt comfortable and I like the circuit. I maybe dipped into corner too much and hit a bump mid-corner, which meant that the bars crossed and I hit the deck. The most positive thing that I can take from this situation is that I was fighting for the victory. I am going to continue working hard with the team, in order to cut the most amount of points between myself and the riders in front. Over the summer break I will take a rest and continue training.”