Disappointed Espargaro crashes out of US Grand Prix and says Sorry to Bautista
The white line that demarcates the asphalt did not allowed, with three laps to go, the Pramac Racing Team to see both riders finishing the race in the top ten. During the third last lap Aleix Espargarò was in ninth position with more than a second from his immediate follower Capirossi, unfortunately while breaking in turn five the young Spaniard stepped with the front on the white lines that mark the track and his bike slipped away. Too bad because despite a poor start that saw him lose several positions at once, Aleix had consistently turned much faster than the riders ahead of him. He had recovered at first three seconds from his teammate, and once passed Mika, had begun to reduce the gap from Capirossi that was in the ninth position with three seconds gap. In less than five laps he managed to reach the Italian rider and overtaken him with four laps remaining.
Fabiano Sterlacchini – Pramac Racing Technical Director
“Too bad for the occasion lost three laps from the end. I think that if Aleix had not fallen and that if Mika had entered the race with the mill metric overtake on Capirossi, we’ll be celebrating now the top ten for both riders. Now we’ll have three weeks off holidays to relax and to come back more competitive than ever in the next race in Brno, where we know that we can aspire to a good result with both riders. “
Aleix Espargarò – Pramac Racing Team – DNF the race – 15th in the World Championship
“What a shame! As usual I had some starting problems, I have lost just a couple of positions in the first turn, but I had recovered the thirteenth position from which I started in less than one lap. In the third lap Bautista tried to overtake me and we touched. I apologize for the accidental contact with him and his fall, I know how important it is for all the rookie to score points on all the tracks. The contact has made me lose few positions and I found myself struggling with De Angelis and R.L. Hayden in the fifteenth position. My pace allowed me to be faster than them, I have overcome them and in a few laps I had reduced the gap I had from my teammate. Once I overtake Mika, I had Capirossi ahead of my with a gap of more than three seconds. Form the box my technician have reported that my detachment was decreased and in five laps I was able to close the gap. Among the twenty-second and twenty-fourth lap I struggled with Capirossi for the ninth position. With three laps I overtake the Italian rider and tried to keep my pace constantly to put a little gap between me and him. During the third last lap I slightly touched the white line that demarcates the track and I lost the front of my bike. Too bad because I would have easily finished the race in the top ten, that on a so difficult track would be a good result at the debut.”
Source: Pramac Racing
