Rossi & Stoner Jerez MotoGP Crash
The event that garnered the most attention so far in the 2011 MotoGP Championship was undoubtedly the crash involving Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner at a wet Jerez circuit April 3.
During the controversial crash, Ducati Team’s Rossi attempted to pass Repsol Honda’s Stoner on the the inside heading into turn one. But the Italian tucked the front end of his Ducati GP11, and took Stoner out.
Two days after the MotoGP crash, the FIM organized a hearing with Jerez track officials to review the incident.
And on Friday, the FIM released the following statement regarding the Rossi/Stoner crash:
FIM says: “After reviewing various videos of the incident between Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner during the race of the Grand Prix of Spain on 3 April 2011 and hearing the explanation from Juan Alvarez, Director of the Circuito de Jerez, the Race Direction has decided that the behaviour of the track marshals was safe and appropriate.
“The Race Direction recommends the current rules be reviewed by the Grand Prix Commission in order to study possible solutions that may results in better procedures.”
This was only a hearing for an “explanation” about the Jerez crash. Even if the FIM found anyone at fault, the results of the Jerez MotoGP race would have remained the same.
As for that crash, Stoner had just lost the lead to San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Marco Simoncelli with 22 to go. Behind, Rossi was storming to the front from his 11th-position start on the grid.
On Lap 8, Rossi attempted to Pass Stoner on the inside of the the front straight heading into turn 1. But Rossi turned in a bit early, causing him to lose the front-end of the Ducati GP11.
When Rossi began sliding, he took out Stoner’s RC212V. Rossi was able to remount and finish fifth due to many accidents involving other MotoGP riders. But Stoner wasn’t able to finish, suffering a DNF.
After the Jerez MotoGP crash, Rossi apologized to Stoner, taking full blame for the wreck.
Stoner, who won the opening round of 2011 MotoGP at Qatar, dropped from first to third in the MotoGP Championship, 20 points behind the Spaniard who won at Jerez, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo. Rossi is in fifth with 20 points.
