The Aprilia rider was too optimistic at Turn 5 with 16 laps to go, trying to overtake Johann Zarco, but the two collided and ended up out of the race. On the escape route, the Frenchman complained to the Spaniard and after the race both were summoned by the stewards to Race Direction.
There Zarco exploded and was unable to control himself, ending up being kicked out. “I didn’t like what happened with him before the accident, because it doesn’t make sense that he hit me four times when we were fighting for 14th place,” explained Aleix about what happened before the accident that took place it ended with both of them on the ground.
“He must show more respect. He says this is his way of overtaking. To try to avoid hitting him in that corner, I blocked the front and fell”, was the explanation of the Aprilia rider. “The simplest thing to do would have been to touch him, because yesterday we saw that you are not penalized for these actions,” he added.
However, the Honda LCR rider gave the worst of himself in the meeting that took place in the Race Direction.
“He was very angry with the stewards for other things that happened yesterday and couldn’t contain himself. I was on his side, even though I didn’t like the way he behaved. I went with him out,” explained Aleix.
The accident between Aleix Espargaro, Aprilia Racing Team and Johann Zarco, Team LCR Honda
Photo credit: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
The weekend was a disaster for the Aprilia rider, who left Jerez with two crashes and a double zero.
“Everything was complicated by the rain on Saturday. Qualifying is very important. I had a problem with the clutch at the start and then I wasn’t even able to overtake the Hondas. Furthermore, Morbidelli hit me a couple of times and so did Zarco,” he said. said.
He was then asked for further details about the incident by the stewards. “Zarco got very nervous with the Race Direction; they had to take him away. Not because of my action, eh, but because of what happened in there. He was very angry”, the Catalan wanted to point out.
Regarding Monday’s test, he concluded: “For the start, Aprilia will bring something great for tomorrow’s test, but I don’t think it will be ready for the next two races.
