MotoGP, Julian Simon consoles Espargaró: “Aleix? I’d like to hug him”

The error made by Aleix Espargaró at Barcelona, which saw the Spaniard celebrate one lap before the end of the Catalunya GP, has become one of the most talked about moments of the weekend, a significant blunder that prevented Aprilia from celebrating its fifth consecutive podium.

It is not the first mistake of this kind to be made in a race, and neither will it be the last. Other riders have slipped up in a similar way, Pierfrancesco Chili and Julian Simon to name but two.

Support from Simon

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And Simon, who threw away almost certain victory by doing the same thing at Barcelona in 2009, has been quick to reach out and offer support to the Noale rider: “First, I’d like to give Aleix a hug, because he must be really angry. He’d scored a podium, second after a great race and during a season in which he’s proving to be a great rider. He’s taking Aprilia to the top”, comments the 2009 125 world champion to our colleagues at AS.

Like Espargaró, Simon was also misled by indications on the tower located at the end of pitlane: “I was so focused that when I crossed the line, I didn’t realise I’d got the numbers wrong, and that the chequered flag hadn’t come out. I think the same thing happened to him”, continues the current Yamaha factory team coach, “Concentration takes you to such an extreme level that you stop noticing the chequered flag, which is what actually tells you the race is over”.

Julian: "Aleix must look ahead"

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A mistake that, in Simon’s opinion, shouldn’t cancel out all the good Aleix is doing this season: “That feeling of having made a mistake is like a big hole and the following night is not easy. Now Aleix needs to analyse the situation and think about how he was riding, as he was second. He needs to have this strength and move forward, because we’re all human and can all make mistakes.”

Aleix’s miscalculation cost him nine points, and he was forced to settle for fifth place, a result that could prove costly in terms of the championship. The same can’t be said for Julian who won the championship at the end of the 2009 season despite his mistake: “Without diminishing my title, MotoGP is MotoGP. These nine points could put him in a more delicate position", concludes Simon.

Translated by Heather Watson

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