Jack Miller crashes moments after Aleix Espargaro in FT4 – Because it happens to him under a yellow flag, the Ducati rider will have to serve a penalty in the race
Ducati factory rider Jack Miller has been given a penalty for a situation in the fourth free practice session for the German Grand Prix. What had happened? In the first few minutes of practice, Aleix Espargaro crashed off his Aprilia in the final corner of the Sachsenring.
Some stewards waved yellow flags, others rushed to the aid of the fallen rider and dragged the bike out of the gravel. Moments after Espargaro, Miller came to the spot while yellow flags were still waving. The Australian also crashed.
This is a clear violation of the regulations, because when yellow flags are waved, following riders have to slow down and ride carefully. Under no circumstances should they crash, as this could endanger people and emergency workers in the gravel bed.
The race stewards Andres Somolinos, Freddie Spencer and Ralph Bohnhorst handed out a long-lap penalty against Miller, which he must complete once in the race. The Australian qualified on the second row for sixth on the grid.
“I was running the hard tyre front and rear,” Miller described the start of the fourth practice. “Then I felt a vibration on the front tyre. I don’t know why. I saw the yellow flags and told myself under my helmet not to crash. “
Another victim of the sachsenring ⚔️
As @jackmilleraus crashes outGermanGP pic.twitter.com/yBomSrq1Np
– MotoGP™ (@MotoGP) June 18, 2022
“The next thing I knew, I was on the ground. I understood that nobody was in the gravel, but it still happened at yellow flag time. That’s why I literally said to myself that I can’t crash.”
It was immediately clear to him that there was a penalty: “Of course I understand it because I crashed under yellow flag conditions. But they can check my sector times and the data. I didn’t want to improve at all on that lap.”
“I don’t know why there was vibration in the front tyre and if that played a role. We need to check the data. I braked early and didn’t load the tyre that much. Maybe that was a factor. The tyres are built to ride at the limit. If you go slowly, it’s not ideal. I don’t think there was anything on the track. “