Thailand MotoGP: Aleix Espargaro: “Panic, I couldn’t breathe”, Maverick Vinales “began to lose mental clarity”
The heat was so bad that Maverick Vinales (main picture) pulled in and retired after suddenly dropping from tenth to last place with just two la🌃ps to go.
"I wasn’t doing badlyꦯ, but 🌜at a certain point I began to lose mental clarity due to the heat,” Vinales explained. “Especially on the straight, when I would lie down on the bike, the sensation of heat was astonishing.
“At a certain point, the best decision was to stop. 🅠Continuing to risk did not make sense. Clearly, this is a situation we need to discuss. There will be other races with high temperatures.”
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Team-mate Aleix 🌜Espargaro and RNF’s Raul Fernandez were likewise in real trouble by the closing stages of the 26 laps but held on to reach the flag in fifth and 15th respectively (Espargaro later dropped to eighth due to low tyre pressures).
“I couldn't breathe. It was the hardest race of my life,” Espargaro said. “In the la🥂st 3 laps, I even started to panic, because I tried t🦂o breathe, and I couldn't. So I was super worried.”
“All the heat from the bike - the engine, chassis, everything, goes into the lungs, and we couldn't breathe,” Espargaro added. “Maverick stopped because of this and Raul told me in the middle of the race, he couldn't breathe. So he decided to slow the pace in thꦉe last part of the race.”
Ai♋r temperatures were 31 degrees on Sunday, com🍸bined with 60% humidity.
“Yes, it always happens. Every single year, in the same circuits, for the last four seasons,” Espargaro revealed﷽. “But today, it was really ✱really, really on the limit.
“Th💖ey [Aprilia] are trying things, but for the moment, nothing is working. We tried like a tube this morning in the warm up, Raul and I, but it's not giving anything.
“I don't know why the bike gives thisܫ temperature, it'𒁃s crazy.
“The last tiಌme I rode another b🍌ike that was not an Aprilia was 7 years ago, so I don't remember [the heat from other bikes]. But especially, Maverick coming from Yamaha, or Raul coming from KTM, I talked with him, and he told me he received zero heat [problems] last year. So it's very strange.”
Fernandez confirmed: "After 10 or 11 laps, the heat was really bad and the last five laps were not good at all. I was close to stopping the race༒ but for my respect to the team and Aprilia, I continued to get at least a point."
The f✨ourth Aprilia, of Fernandez’s RNF team-mate Miguel Oliveira, retired early in the race due to a technical issue.
The next event, at Sepang in Malaysia, could be as hot🐼 ꦕif not hotter than Thailand.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Ross꧂i come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Ma𒆙rc Marquez’s injury issues.
