The KTM managers were fed up after the Austrian GP last Sunday. For the third time in less than a year, two KTM works riders catapulted each other out of the competition in a MotoGP. In Silverstone 2019, Zarco cleared the Portuguese Miguel Oliveira in an optimistic overtaking maneuver. At the Spanish GP in Jerez on July 19, 2020, Brad Binder slammed Oliveira in the rear of the very first corner, and the Red Bull KTM Tech3 driver had to retire. He raced off from Startoplatz 5!
And at the home GP last Sunday, Pol Espargaró and Miguel Oliveira got in each other’s way in the fight for fifth place in turn 4, again two Red Bull KTMs were lying in the gravel.
On top of that. During the press interviews the afternoon after the race on August 16, Pol Espargaró asserted that he had spoken to Oliveira; no one saw each other, it was a «racing incident».
But Oliveira looked it up. “Pol has a tendency not to look inward when he has been carried out and comes back on the ideal line,” etched the 12-time GP winner and two-time vice world champion (Moto3 and Moto2).
An interview by Oliveira on the TV channel «Canal +» immediately after the Austrian GP, in which the Portuguese accused the Spaniard of either reacting too emotionally or not thinking as much, caused further discussion.
Then it was enough for the KTM bosses. In Spielberg, Motorsport Director Pit Beirer and Race Manager Mike Leitner, who had already warned Johann Zarco in Jerez in May 2019 after making statements damaging to the company, spoke clearly to their quarreling drivers.
Did Pit have to pat the drivers on the fingers? “Not really,” replied the 250cc Motocross Vice World Champion from 1999. “But yesterday evening we had a meeting with the MotoGP riders. We made a clean sweep. We started the day today as a team with four fantastic drivers. It’s all right.”
KTM looked like the sure winner in Spielberg’s first race. But after the red flag, Pol Espargaró no longer had a medium rear tire, and the thirsty Ducati could also be refueled as desired, so they were able to boast maximum engine power in the restart. So Espargaró lost two of his most important trump cards. «That was a tough moment. because Pol had acted flawlessly all weekend and prepared well for the race, ”said Beirer. «But in the second race he no longer had a medium rear tire. The red flag was a hard fate for us. But when we saw the pictures of the Zarco and Morbidelli crashes, the result became secondary. Most importantly, no one was seriously injured. We’ll have more chances. It is more important than a single race that we are competitive. I know Pol wants a win – and the win in Austria would have been nice. But there is a new opportunity this weekend. “
Oliveira’s statements last Sunday hit KTM factory rider Pol Espargaró hard: “I was shocked because I thought my relationship with Miguel was good. I’ve been in a situation like this, in the heat of the moment, but I’ve never lost my respect for my opponent, especially not my fellow brand. That wasn’t a good choice of words. He didn’t even apologize for it. I would never say that we weren’t all born with the same intelligence, that’s pretty tough – especially because he rides the bike I developed. Imagine if I had his intelligence, then we would have won last year », Pol could not help a small return coach. But then he quickly added: “That is definitely not a good thing. I’m pretty sure Miguel knows he didn’t use the best words to explain the situation. ”
Red Bull-KTM presented themselves in the expected strength at FP1 in Spielberg today: three drivers in the top 8. No other manufacturer could do that.
Result Spielberg, MotoGP-FP1, 21.8.
1. Miller, Ducati, 1: 23,859 min
2. Dovizioso, Ducati, + 0.004 sec
3. Oliveira, KTM, + 0.039
4. Nakagami, Honda, + 0,052
5. Mir, Suzuki, + 0.102
6. Morbidelli, Yamaha, + 0.339
7. Binder, KTM, + 0.392
8. Lecuona, KTM, + 0.442
9. Viñales, Yamaha, + 0,465
10. Quartararo, Yamaha, + 0.522
11. Pol Espargaró, KTM, + 0.538
12. Pyrrhus, Ducati, + 0.649
13. Petrucci, Ducati, + 0.658
14. Smith, Aprilia, + 0,764
15. Rins, Suzuki, + 0,769
16. Alex Marquez, Honda, + 0.831
17. Rossi, Yamaha, + 0.840
18. Crutchlow, Honda, + .905
19. Rabat, Ducati, + 0.947
20. Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, + 0.949
19. Alex Marquez, Honda, + 1,056
20. Smith, Aprilia, + 1,104
21. Bradl, Honda, +1,055
Result FP1 Moto3, Spielberg, 21.8.
1. Vietti, KTM, 1: 35,977
2. Arenas, KTM, + 0,306 sec
3. Alcove, Honda, + 0.485
4. Arbolino, Honda, + 0.501
5. Fernandez, KTM, + 0.526
6. Sea Pioneer, KTM, + 0.593
7. Foggia, Honda, + 0.633
8. D. Binder, KTM, + 0,677
9. Masia, Honda, + 0,814
10. Sasaki, KTM, + 0.826
further:
15. Baltus, KTM, + 1,035
20. Dupasquier, KTM, + 1,183
28. Kofler, KTM, + 1,795
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