Miguel Oliveira Apologizes for Incident Involving Fabio
Trackhouse Aprilia rider Miguel Oliveira has expressed his sadness over the incident with Fabio Quatararo in the MotoGP Sprint race at Mugello. The crash left both riders in the gravel on the second lap as a technical problem with the bike set in for Oliveira.
The incident began when the height adjustment device on Oliveira’s bike failed to turn off in the first corner, causing him to lose his position. Determined to quickly regain lost ground, Oliveira eventually pitted 10-year-old Scarperia against Quatararo. At the end of the first lap, Quatararo, who was in 14th place, was unable to avoid contact, leading to a crash for both.
“It was really sad. I definitely don’t want to crash with anyone and I feel sorry for Fabio,” Oliveira said after the race. “I agreed to the braking point and I couldn’t slow down any more, so at that point I tried to make the turn. I was able to make the turn, but I was going too fast and I had contact with Fabio. He saw me and tried to avoid but we collided which was a shame.
FIM stewards assessed the incident and declared it a racing accident. Quartararo, while not happy to be punished for similar mistakes in the past, accepted the situation and admitted that “these things can happen”.
Oliveira, who was 11th on the grid, said his poor start was crucial to the incident. “I couldn’t turn off the gutshot in the first corner and I went into turn six with the gutshot still on and everyone touched me and I went backwards, which was bad. I tried to go forward right after that but when I went I crashed trying to heal.
Trackhouse team manager Wilco Zellenberg defended Olivera, highlighting the driver’s problems with his technical equipment. “Miguel had problems unlocking the front gears after the start, he had a few crashes so he lost a few places,” said Zellenberg. “The bike was good and he pushed to make up places, but he made a mistake – he braked late and hard, lost the lead and hit Fabio. I’m sorry about that and of course it wasn’t intentional, but you are. To try things such, otherwise you are already lost.
Oliveira’s teammate Raul Fernandez, who took part in Qualifying 2, finished tenth. Commenting on the race, Fernandez said he prefers to learn and understand the circuit well before attempting a risky move. “I tried to pass Alex, but it wasn’t going to be a clean move, so I thought it was better to stay behind him and learn on the bike and the track,” Fernandez said.
The incident at Mugello reminds us of the complexity and risks involved in MotoGP racing, where every decision and every move has a huge impact. Miguel Oliveira has shown professionalism and respect for the sport and its leaders by apologizing to Fabio Quatararo.
