Breaking news
MotoGP Austrian GP
Oliveira: Espargaro should rethink "questionable" approach
Miguel Oliveira has suggested that Pol Espargaro should think about changing his "questionable" approach to racing following the KTM duo's collision in the MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix.
Lewis Duncan
Edited: Aug 17, 2020, 9:26 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Factory KTM rider Espargaro was struggling in the restarted Austrian GP due to a switch to the soft rear tyre - having run out of fresh medium rubber - and the Spaniard had dropped out of the podium places by lap nine.
After running deep into the Turn 4 right-hander, Tech 3 rider Oliveira tried to come up on the inside of the recovering Espargaro and the pair collided into retirement.
It is the second collision in two races for Espargaro, who also had a coming together with Johann Zarco during the previous weekend's Czech GP at Brno.
Read Also:
- Rossi: "Terrifying" crash shows MotoGP riders too aggressive
- Honda announces Marquez will also miss Styrian MotoGP race
- Morbidelli: Zarco showed "no love" in horror crash
With Oliveira noting both incidents were of "the same character", the MotoGP sophomore thinks Espargaro needs to consider changing the way he goes racing.
"At the end of the day, there is nothing really strong that you can apply to the KTM riders," Oliveira said when asked if he wanted KTM to weigh in. "At the end of the day, we're also competing against each other.
"Of course, it's extra frustrating being a KTM rider, but at the end of the day you have to take it as another rider. You cannot ask a rider not to compete, and I think it's in every rider's mind to understand what they could have done differently.
"If I was Pol, already with two incidents with the same character, I would start to think if I am approaching racing in general in the right way, because at the moment it seems questionable."
Miguel Oliveira, Red Bull KTM Tech 3, Pol Espargaro, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing crash
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
This is the third time Oliveira has been taken out of races by fellow KTM riders.
Brad Binder clattered into him in the Andalusian GP at Jerez last month and Zarco wiped him out of last year's British GP - the latter incident leaving Oliveira with a shoulder injury.
Espargaro branded the clash a "racing incident", adding: "I was wide, and Miguel actually in that place was a little bit wide as well and also we checked the data and he was like that.
"I was opening the throttle on the outside [of the track], he was opening the throttle on the inside. He couldn't see me; I couldn't see him, and we collided.
"This is what we call a racing incident and we really are agreed. I couldn't do anything; I was on the white lines so I couldn't move. He said he couldn't see me.
"I know Miguel, we have a good relationship, and I know every move he makes he thinks about it. He made this [move] because he was sure it was possible to overtake."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Rossi: "Terrifying" crash shows MotoGP riders too aggressive
Next article Vinales' struggles making racing "difficult to enjoy"
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Lewis Duncan
MotoGP 2025: Full rider line-up revealed
MotoGP
MotoGP Sep 19, 2024
MotoGP 2025: Full rider line-up revealed
A year on from Marquez’s Germany MotoGP meltdown, has Honda improved?
MotoGP
MotoGP
German GP
Jul 5, 2024
A year on from Marquez’s Germany MotoGP meltdown, has Honda improved?
What’s behind MotoGP’s right-hander chaos in Germany practice?
MotoGP
MotoGP
German GP
Jul 5, 2024
What’s behind MotoGP’s right-hander chaos in Germany practice?
More from
Pol Espargaro
Pedro Acosta backed to win KTM’s home MotoGP race - “if there’s a place, it’s here”
MotoGP
MotoGP
Austrian GP
1 mo
Pedro Acosta backed to win KTM’s home MotoGP race - “if there’s a place, it’s here”
Tech3 confirms Pol Espargaro for Austrian GP as Vinales' replacement
MotoGP
MotoGP
Austrian GP
1 mo
Tech3 confirms Pol Espargaro for Austrian GP as Vinales' replacement
Pol Espargaro warns 'MotoGP riders not aware of the change coming with 2027 tyres'
MotoGP
MotoGP 2 mo
Pol Espargaro warns 'MotoGP riders not aware of the change coming with 2027 tyres'
More from
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
With the Qatar MotoGP Grand Prix over, it is time to heal the wounds
MotoGP
MotoGP
Qatar GP
1 d
With the Qatar MotoGP Grand Prix over, it is time to heal the wounds
Carlos Ezpeleta: Qatar GP “noise” left MotoGP unnecessarily exposed
MotoGP
MotoGP
Qatar GP
4 d
Carlos Ezpeleta: Qatar GP “noise” left MotoGP unnecessarily exposed
Latest news
Carson Hocevar and Cleetus McFarland win LeMullets 2026 in epic finish
General
Misc General 2 h
Carson Hocevar and Cleetus McFarland win LeMullets 2026 in epic finish
TV ratings released for NASCAR Cup season finale
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
9 h
TV ratings released for NASCAR Cup season finale
Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Homestead
9 h
Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe