The Motul TT Assen got off to a less than ideal start for Eugene Laverty (Aspar Team MotoGP), the Irish rider crashing on the sighting lap, sprinting back to his box only to find the brakes on his second bike were stuck. With unwavering determination he started the race and tried to do the best he could given the circumstances. Things weren’t going well for Laverty as he circulated in last, but a red flag due to weather conditions proved to be a blessing.
During the restart Laverty made immediate progress as he roared towards his goal of a top ten finish. Conditions weren’t easy, Laverty almost crashing multiple times a lap. As the race went on his feeling with the front improved and he would eventually bring his GP14.2 home in seventh place. Given the start to his Sunday, a top ten is a very respectable result.
INCOMING!!! ???????????? pic.twitter.com/g47oNZCnij
— Eugene Laverty (@eugenelaverty) June 26, 2016
Eugene Laverty: “I rode so slowly on the sighting lap because I didn't want to be the idiot that crashed... but I did! The tyre just felt like ice, it was so slippery. I had to run back for the other bike but I didn't think it was too bad because starting from the back of the grid was not too far from where we qualified. Then when I arrived at the end of pit-lane I could feel there was a problem with the front brake, which was stuck. That was why I struggled so much at the start of the race and dropped so far back. The second part of the race was good, I made a really good start and made up a lot of positions but from lap two to around lap six I kept losing the front, I almost crashed so many times and with so many other riders crashing out around me I had to be really careful. Over the last five laps the front tyre started to come better again and I was able to go really fast, we just ran out of time to catch the guys in front. Seventh place after so much drama is a good result.”