Espargaro: Lorenzo defeat down to misread pitboard
KTM MotoGP rider Pol Espargaro has revealed that he lost position to Jorge Lorenzo at the end of the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez because he had misread his pitboard.
Espargaro reeled in and passed three-time champion Lorenzo towards the end of the race, and looked set to finish 12th ahead of the Honda rider.
But having lost track of the laps remaining in the race, he slowed up one lap too early and slipped back behind Lorenzo, before picking up his pace and preventing a further loss of position.
“I was pushing a lot at the end of the race, on my limits, front and rear, to catch Jorge,” Espargaro recalled. “I catch Jorge, I read in the board, it was my mistake, instead of 'three laps remaining' I read 'two laps remaining'.
“And then I went really close to Jorge, I overtook him, I did one lap in front of Jorge thinking that it was the last lap.
“I was so focused, checking all the sectors, locking the door because Jorge, with the HRC Honda, for him would be easy to overtake me back.
“I was closing everything and I was so stressed with riding the bike on the limit that I didn't realise it was not the last lap.
“I lost 2.5 [seconds] in [the first sector]. I should say that I had a problem with the bike, if I would be another rider, but no, honestly, this was my mistake.
“It looks like this is because I was not focused, but it's the opposite, I was so focused, so on the limit.”
Espargaro admitted he felt aggrieved by his error after the race, especially as he'd cost himself a chance to finish ahead of the factory Honda.
“For sure it was 100 percent my mistake. But in that moment so stressful, fighting against HRC Honda, it's not something normal, and I needed to be so on the limit that I did a mistake, and I was super-angry with myself.
“Just sorry with the team because we could take one more point, but I'm more angry because it was Jorge, HRC Honda, fight against them and beat them for once, it would feel good.”
The KTM rider felt that securing 12th would've been the best possible outcome in the race.
“If I would finish without this mistake, I would be around 10 seconds in front of my teammate [Johann Zarco].
“We are giving 200 percent, for sure we are looking for more but I feel that I'm on the limit of the bike and my package.”
Additional reporting by Pol Espargaro
Previous article
Rins laughs off marshal 'caught on camera' episode
Next article
Vinales: Jerez podium all "about the start"
About this article
| Series | MotoGP |
| Event | Spanish GP |
| Sub-event | Race |
| Drivers | Jorge Lorenzo , Pol Espargaro |
| Teams | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing |
| Author | Valentin Khorounzhiy |
Suzuki commits to 2026
Marc Marquez sensational comeback
Motorsport.tv Live: Portuguese MotoGP
Marc Marquez is back
MotoGP Starting Grid: Portugal Grand Prix
What does Marc Marquez have to do to get back to his best?
Following his resounding MotoGP return with a seventh place finish in Portugal, Marc Marquez now must work to rediscover his best form before turning his attention towards results-based targets
How Yamaha's rookie-spec MotoGP star is taking charge
Fabio Quartararo is on a roll in 2021 after storming to victory at a venue five months earlier served up one of his worst races. Contrasting Portuguese GPs for Yamaha's factory duo make it hard to understand just how good its 2021 MotoGP bike is, but the Portimao weekend did at least expose one key improvement compared to 2020
The hurdles Marquez faces next in his Portugal MotoGP return
Even by Marc Marquez’s own high standards, his MotoGP comeback on Friday at the Portuguese Grand Prix will be considered a success even if he didn’t top the times. But having shown competitive pace on his first day back, both Marquez and his rivals know plenty more challenges are to come...
Where does Espargaro sit ahead of Marquez's return?
Pol Espargaro’s first results as a Honda MotoGP rider may not appear special. But dig a little deeper and a clearer picture of his performance emerges. And, as Lewis Duncan writes, it’s cause for celebration at Honda with the return of Marc Marquez set to provide Espargaro with the reference he has been missing so far this year
The "pit bull" MotoGP rookie already drawing legendary comparisons
MotoGP’s 2021 rookie crop is one of the strongest in recent years, but one is already standing out. Jorge Martin’s Doha GP heroics have courted many to compare him to numerous MotoGP legends. Autosport spoke to Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti to find out why MotoGP’s latest Spanish star is already making such an impact
Why MotoGP's stewards must revisit Miller and Mir's Losail clash
Despite Suzuki’s decision not to appeal against Race Direction’s refusal to penalise Jack Miller following the incident with Joan Mir in Losail, something must be done to avoid a repeat of such an incident, which could have easily ended in tragedy
Why MotoGP’s top gun looks more dangerous at the Doha GP
Lightning hasn't struck twice for Maverick Vinales since 2017 and his wayward form of recent years makes predicting how he'll fare each MotoGP race weekend tricky. But fresh from his Qatar GP win, Vinales looks like an even more dangerous prospect for the Doha GP following an intriguing Friday practice.
Why MotoGP’s new Amazon Prime series is long overdue
OPINION: MotoGP is getting its own version of Drive to Survive on Amazon Prime at some point in the near future. It was news welcomed by the grid’s leading riders. And following the impact DTS has had on Formula 1, MotoGP desperately needs the same boost.
