In the time that’s passed since the race yesterday, and since my initial posting, “information has come to light” as they say, that paints a bit of a different picture in many, but not all, respects of what happened - and what’s worth taking out of it.
Firstly it turns out that it wasn’t as simple and clear-cut an incident as I (and pretty much all who witnessed it) originally believed. Several hours after the race it was posted that Alvaro had suffered an engine problem and that Simoncelli was unable to take avoiding action (as has been pointed out below in a post by “Anonymous”).
This certainly helps explain why Alvaro was able to share a man-hug in the dust immediately after the off.
And for that - and for suggesting that the incident was no more than Simoncelli riding like a complete git - I apologise.
It does not alter the fact, however, that he *was* riding like a complete git (that’s precisely the reason he “wasn’t able to take avoiding action”...). The guy was behaving like an accident waiting to happen, and the dicing across the laps was not enjoyable to watch as it is with say Mika and Alvaro - where you can enjoy 2 talented, gifted people *in control*; what was clear to see was someone not in control of his bike, riding erratically and recklessly, as I posted during the race, that you clearly felt you couldn’t trust.
I maintain that and, despite admitting that subsequent news has shown an engine problem at the centre of the incident, feel that his riding leaves a lot to be desired; I was genuinely surprised he hadn’t already wiped both of them out earlier. Nonetheless I accept that the incident was not his fault - although he may want to weigh up the balance of his skill against his ambition next time he is so close to a good result.
Perhaps the most important thing to have taken out of yesterday was Bati’s extraordinary graciousness, sportsmanship and humility in what must have been a heartbreaking moment. Even back in the box - no toys out of pram (unlike me I am ashamed to admit), no stropping or sulking - just a quiet sit-down and a “taking it all in”.
It’s no surprise there was a big roar in the middle of the podium ceremonies when he stepped out of the garages.
So there you go; a bit of a reflection and a bit of a correction.
Hope that sets the record straight and stands as a clear apology.
Time to put the crushing disappointment behind and to look forward to Estoril...
31 March 2008
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8 comments:
I'm loving your apology. :)
(You truly are a good person)
I agree with you on Bati's behaviour afterwards, but that is no surprise I guess.
I also agree with your general evaluation of Simoncelli's riding.
I think there wouldn't have been so much initial anger and uproar about the accident if it hadn't been Simoncelli. My first reaction was "I knew it!" and just like you I was kinda surprised that it didn't happen earlier. I actually started to believe that he will finish this race until that moment.
And even if this accident wasn't his fault - a part of the boiling anger afterwards is due to the fact that it was very possibly his fault.
In your example of Bati and Mika - if the same thing would have happened with Mika, I'm sure some people would have been startled at first, not sure what happened. I think more people would have thought that there was something wrong, because Mika is a responsible rider.
The initial assumption, also of all the commentators I heard so far, that it was definitely Simoncelli's fault and he just rode right into Bati, shows a lot about his reputation and how he is very well capable of doing that. Maybe not this time, but another place, another time.
So, although I also take back the blame on Simoncelli for this crash, the whole thing still changed my perception of him. I always saw him as a crasher, but now I see him as a dangerous crasher. No matter the mechanical causes for this incident.
But however. We just have to put this all behind us and look forward. That's what Bati did and much quicker than all of us.
He's still the favourite for the title and he is still the best 250 rider in my eyes. Nothing will change that.
So, I'm looking forward to Estoril and hope for an exciting race with a deserving winner. And with that I mean Bati of course. ;)
Yu said: "Hope that sets the record straight and stands as a clear apology"
WAT?. This post is no meaningful and or heartfelt apology to Simoncelli whatsoever and certainly not in any way clear. It is not even an apology. Imagine Simoncelli was reading this blog. Say the words "Simoncelli" i am sorry what i said. now that is a 'Clear' apology.
I was rooting for Bautista throughout the race because i had plenty of my hard earned cash bet on him to win. i only have a rudementary knowledge of this sport and i am writing this in a punters perspective whereas you are writing it with a very biased perspective.
As stated by Bautista above his engine gave way "Entering the curve". If thats the case then if anyone he with first knowledge of his engine going could have taken avoidance action and. He could have run wide and into the sand. In fairness its surely all very much split second decision making so i would accept that the clash was nobodys fault but you insinuate even knowing Bautistas engine went that Simoncelli could have possibly avoided him(lol just lol).
You also demean Simoncelli as a rider aswell. This is very undeserved and to think how far back on the grid Simoncelli started i think he at least deserves more credit for his riding than you give him.
Yes Bautista has more riding flair and grace on a bike but Simoncelli rode within the rules and was up bautistas backside all day giving him one headache after another. This is top class sport. What do you expect Simoncelli to do roll over and say "Ah im not really in your class you go ahead and take the 1st place i'll take second place this is great stuff!?.
As the race grew older and especially in the final 3 or 4 laps i certainly got the impression that Simoncelli had more bike under him than Bautista and this is why Bautista couldnt get away from him. It was only bautistas experience and skill that kept him in the lead for so long in my opinion.
Bautista rode a great race to the best of his ability and he deserves credit for that but i also think Simoncelli deserves some credit too and does not deserve to be disrespected by you with your down putting remarks of his riding in your thinly veiled excuse of an apology.
If you don't believe it's clear then there's not much I can do about that - but it very specifically says so twice. There's a bit near the start - in bold, in red, "I apologise".
And basically in replying to you now, a third time affirming it.
I didn't have to post your comment, and in fact I could even have removed the first post and not felt I had to say anything at all.
I would hope the fact that I did speaks for itself.
Shame you don't agree.
dear rounders 123,
you say that you "only have a rudementary knowledge of this sport". and after reading what you wrote, i have to agree with that.
to imply that alvaro would have been able to do anything about the crash is simply outrageous. did you see the situation? simoncelli was so close behind him, even if bautista would have gone straight the second the engine gave up, simoncelli would still have driven right into him. and that's exactly what happened, because if you look closely, you can even see that alvaro is trying to pull his machine up right before the crash. so, he even did what you think was his responsibility to do. but the loss of speed was too rapid. you forget how fast these machines are.
and i love your comment that only bautista's skill and experience kept him in front - yes, that's exactly what this is about. it's not enough to have a fast bike.
the statements in the blog entry are subjective views on simoncelli's general riding style. that's why it's a blog and not an official factory statement. just like your comment is equally subjective as mine is.
concerning the specific incident the author clearly aplogised. three times already.
and i doubt that simoncelli reads blogs of fans...
Ok i appreciate you made the effort to appologise but your apology just came across to me at least as "i apologise but".
tamara wrote;because if you look closely, you can even see that alvaro is trying to pull his machine up right before the crash. so, he even did what you think was his responsibility to do. but the loss of speed was too rapid. you forget how fast these machines are.
tamara i take this remark back and i agree with you. dont get me wrong i didnt feel strongly that alvaro could avoid the impact and i didnt mean to get my point across this way i just meant to suggest that if either of the riders possibly could avoid a collision Alvaro could because he was the first to know. Looking at it again it was an unavoidable collision really.
Thanks for posting back - and I'm glad that you accept that I meant what I said (I had no reason to post it in the first place otherwise ;)
Anyway - I think it raised such emotions with me as, whatever the outcome of a Bati/Simoncelli duel, the worst outcome was that the victory was basically 'inherited' by someone else if you know what I mean (although I'm a great admirer of Mika too).
At least we saw some genuinely amazing sportsmanship on account of it (unlike mine as I said) - hopefully things will be more exciting in a more fun way at Estoril...
agreed. and nice blog by the way.
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