Michael Laverty: Blame goes 'slightly' on Francesco Bagnaia for crash with Maverick Vinales at French MotoGP
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Updated 14/05/2023 at 17:10 GMT+1
Marco Bezzecchi closed the gap at the top of the leaderboard in MotoGP to just one point behind Francesco Bagnaia after the full-length race at Le Mans in the French Grand Prix. He was aided by Bagnaia's early exit after he tussled with Maverick Vinales, with both riders crashing out and unable to return. The riders scuffled in the gravel as tempers flared.
Francesco Bagnaia's Ducati after he crashed with Maverick Viñales of Spain and Aprilia Racing at the beginning of the Race of the MotoGP SHARK Grand Prix de France at Bugatti Circuit on May 14, 2023 in Le Mans, France.
Image credit: Getty Images
BT Sport experts Michael Laverty and Sylvain Guintoli believe that Maverick Vinales was not at fault for the crash with Francesco Bagnaia at the French MotoGP.
Ducati's Bagnaia and Aprilia’s Vinales were competing for P3 at Le Mans but failed to finish the race after they clipped on a turn and spun out into the gravel.
Such was the nature of the crash that they were unable to rejoin the action, and tempers flared as they pushed and shoved each other on the sidelines before being separated by race officials.
Later in the race they were seen being more cordial with one another, with an acceptance in the BT studio that while world champion Bagnaia was the instigator of the crash, it was fundamentally a racing incident.
Laverty said: “A complete racing incident, really.
“If you are going to apportion blame, it goes slightly on Pecco [Francesco Bagnaia] because he was behind. He had the choice not to lean in on top of Vinales.
“Vinales made the move. He had a little bit of room to control the corner.
“Pecco squared it up the inside, trying to lean in. We saw Marc Marquez execute it - he squared it enough to let the other rider know.
“So Pecco stays on the line, you’ve got to know that Vinales is going to drift back.”
Guintoli added: “I agree. It was Pecco’s fault. A race incident, just two guys going for the same line.
“But Maverick was on the line, on the inside. Pecco should have left more room.
"We saw a similar situation with Marc and Jorge Martin. They left room for each other.
“This was important for Pecco, another blow in the championship race.”
The race was ultimately won by Mooney VR46 rider Marco Bezzecchi, who now trails Bagnaia by a single point in the overall standings.
The next race is the Italian GP on June 11.
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