Trackhouse Racing’s first MotoGP grand prix weekend at Silverstone underneath its present guise ended abruptly on Sunday, after each riders crashed out on lap one.
Lining up 14th and fifteenth for Sunday’s race, with Raul Fernandez main Miguel Oliveira, the pair switched positions within the early phases of the opening lap.
Oliveira then ran vast into Brooklands earlier than an approaching Fernandez fared even worse – tucking the entrance and wiping out his team-mate.
The Spaniard pointed to his selection of the onerous entrance tyre – which solely he and Aleix Espargaro ran on what was a cool day typically unconducive to that selection – and a full gas tank initially as elements. However he admitted to creating a mistake and profusely apologised to his crew for eliminating any probability for Trackhouse to attain factors.
The unlucky incident meant the crew’s distinctive MotoGP seventy fifth anniversary retro livery, which celebrated American premier-class winners, had its solely outing reduce quick.
Talking after the race, Fernandez stated: “Initially I want to express regret to the crew. I crashed and within the second that I used to be on the bottom, my bike tossed Miguel and I created the crash for Miguel.
“Truthfully, it’s fairly troublesome, as a result of yesterday we had a whole lot of issues with the softs and on the grid we determined to make use of the onerous entrance. We thought it was the suitable selection, however in the beginning of the race perhaps I did a small mistake with a full tank and this mild rain [spotted at some corners early in the race] and I crashed.
“I didn’t contact Miguel earlier than the crash, I crashed and my bike touched Miguel. However anyway I can’t say quite a bit, simply we labored very well and I really feel actually dangerous with myself as a result of on the finish it was a very vital weekend for the crew and due to my crash they don’t get factors. S I want to express regret to the crew.
“For the race we weren’t able to be within the high 5, however high 10 perhaps was life like, so the dangerous factor is I misplaced all of the factors for me and in addition Miguel.”
Oliveira, in the meantime, stated the incident was “a type of issues.”
“Did a few corners,” he stated. “I used to be already within the nook when Raul’s bike hit mine, and that is it. Not likely anything to say. It is a type of issues. Fallacious place, improper time.”
Each riders prevented severe damage within the crash, with Oliveira – whose 2023 was riddled by accidents sustained in multi-bike collisions – left with minor bruises to the coccyx and the leg.
It was an ignominious conclusion to the primary weekend Fernandez – who will stay with Trackhouse this yr, whereas Oliveira is anticipated to go away – had spent with the 2024-spec Aprilia, having run the year-old bike beforehand this yr.
