14/04/2014
Jorge Lorenzo – “I wasn’t thinking and was distracted and I made a big mistake in the start”.
There were some great rides in all the classes in Austin. Miller’s blocking in Moto3 was a masterclass in staying ahead. Vinales showed his potential by getting a win in just his second Moto2 race, and making it look easy – no learning curve required there.
MotoGP had it’s fair share of interest and intrigue too, but it’s first big talking point set the tone for the race and that’s why it is my image of the GP:
Jorge, come back! A contender for the most obvious jump start of all time? Yamaha’s Lorenzo ended his Austin adventure before it had even begun. Image via Movistar Yamaha. Editorial use only under the fair use act.
The Yamaha press release perhaps put it best – ‘Jorge Lorenzo experienced his second Grand Prix weekend to forget today, making a jump start at the beginning of the race and receiving a ride-through penalty as a result’.
That, of course meant that the Spaniards race was over before it had even begun. Lorenzo took the penalty swiftly and rejoined in 23rd. Ever the professional, knowing that fans come to watch and sponsors need to be appeased he staged a spectacular ride carving through the field to come home in tenth.
After crashing out in the early stages in Qatar Lorenzo could at least take positives form getting his first championship points of the year –
“At least I didn’t crash because it was a difficult situation with the tension and it was easy to make a mistake and get injured. The good thing is that I finished the race and got my first points in the championship but clearly it wasn’t our weekend”.
Yamahas ‘difficult’ race was compounded by teammate Rossi’s tyre problems, with a destroyed front tyre the Italian did not finishing that far ahead of Lorenzo all considered, the margin at four seconds at the flag in an eventual eighth for Rossi after a promising start.
In the mean time reigning world champion Marc Marquez vanished in to the distance and even a late wobble on the final corner could not stop him from taking his second succesive win and we’re only two races into the season!
survival of the fastest 