Rossi shares video, says Zarco made a ‘serious error of judgement’

Valentino Rossi has taken to social media to once more urge his fellow MotoGP riders to keep safety in mind following the Austrian MotoGP, saying Johann Zarco showed a ‘serious error of judgement’ in what could have been a more catastrophic accident.

The Italian is still reeling after he and Yamaha team-mate Maverick Vinales came to within inches of being struck by the wayward bikes of Franco Morbidelli and Zarco following their own coming together moments before behind them.

In images and footage that have been shared widely around the world, Rossi was almost struck by Morbidelli’s Yamaha as it threaded through a small gap at Turn 3.

The original accident was caused when Zarco moved across Morbidelli and braked, causing them to make contact and send their respective bikes spiralling out of control up the road.

Sharing a video - viewed more than 2 million times already - using a forward-facing camera on his Yamaha, he says this angle is the ‘one that scares me (him) the most’, adding that while he is sure Zarco had no intention of riding dangerously, this was the result of his ‘serious error of judgement’.

“The images from my camera are the ones that scare me the most, because from here you can understand the speed with which Franco's bike crossed the track right in front of me. It passed so hard that I didn't even see it, when I went back to the pits I was already shocked enough to have seen Zarco's bike literally fly over Maverick's head.

“Miraculously nobody got hurt but I hope this incident makes everyone think, especially us riders. Zarco did not intentionally cause such a crash, but it is still a serious error of judgment, which a MotoGP rider cannot afford, especially in a braking at 310 km / h.

“By moving quickly to the right and braking "in the face" of Franco , did not give him the place to slow down, so Morbidelli could not help but hit him at full speed.

“I understand that in the race we play a lot and everyone gives their best to stay in front, but we must not forget that ours is a sport dangerous, and our safety and our opponents' safety is much more important than gaining a position.”

 

 

 

 

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Le immagini dalla mia telecamera sono quelle che mi fanno più paura,perché da qui si può capire la velocità con cui la moto di Franco ha attraversato la pista proprio davanti a me.è passata talmente forte che io non l’ho neanche vista,quando sono tornato ai box ero già abbastanza scosso per aver visto la moto di Zarco letteralmente volare sopra la testa di Maverick.miracolosamente non si è fatto male nessuno ma spero che questo incidente faccia riflettere tutti,soprattutto noi piloti.Zarco non ha intenzionalmente causato una carambola del genere,ma resta comunque un grave errore di valutazione,che un pilota di MotoGP non può permettersi,soprattutto in una staccata da 310 km/h.spostandosi velocemente sulla destra e frenando “in faccia” a Franco,non gli ha lasciato il posto per rallentare,quindi Morbidelli non ha potuto fare altro che centrarlo a tutta velocità.capisco che in gara ci si gioca tanto e tutti danno il massimo per stare davanti,ma non dobbiamo dimenticarci che il nostro è uno sport pericoloso,e l’incolumità nostra è dei nostri avversari è molto più importante che guadagnare una posizione.

A post shared by Valentino Rossi (@valeyellow46) on Aug 18, 2020 at 8:41am PDT

Zarco and Morbidelli are due to meet with the FIM to explain their part in the incident ahead of this weekend's Styrian MotoGP, which will take place at the same Red Bull Ring