Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales has blasted Marco Bezzecchi for “not even braking” in the pair’s Australian MotoGP Sprint crash.
Vinales had overtaken Bezzecchi on the main straight with two laps remaining in their battle for fifth.
The VR46 rider attempted to regain his position but was caught in the Aprilia’s slipstream and ran into the back of Vinales, taking both riders out of the race.
Both riders tumbled through the gravel at high speeds but got away relatively unharmed.
Vinales said following the incident that he was feeling fine, but questioned the intent behind Bezzecchi’s move.
“I’m quite ok, I was just a little bit afraid that I hit the nerve and my hand was sleepy, so I couldn’t feel it,” Vinales told TNT Sports’ Steve Day.
“I have some bruises. For sure when you crash at this speed, you always have pain so for tomorrow it’s going to be tough.
“From my point of view I saw it back again, I don’t know, I think he didn’t even brake, he just hit me from the back.
“Di Giannantonio was behind, he braked on the point where you need to brake.
“I feel maybe he wanted to overtake me again from the inside, the stewards will decide.
“But the problem was that if a steward steps in to say that he was, maybe next time I don’t even brake too so we’ll see.
“I don’t know, after this episode if nothing strong is done, I mean by the stewards or by the championship, allowing us to just go lift the brake and hit everyone, so we’ll see.
“I’m okay, this is racing and I agree to have contact but there is contact and there is contact.
“It’s just a shame because I think we could have been P4 in the Sprint for sure, we were fast, we’re going to try tomorrow.
“Let’s see how I wake up because I feel very sore but I think tomorrow we have a good opportunity.”
Maverick Vinales “confident” for result in Australian MotoGP race
Despite the crash out of the Sprint, Vinales says he feels confident Aprilia can get a result in the main race at Phillip Island.
He also confirmed that there were still likely to be problems on the start, but the Italian marque’s straight line speed could help the bike defend better.
“I’m confident, obviously at the start I can do nothing. I’m really sorry,” said Vinales.
“After I released the clutch, it’s not my job, so I can’t do nothing. I just wait and pray that the others also start a little bit bad, then I made myself up.
“I think this track particularly the bike seems fast, on the straight I can defend myself so for this I’m really happy.”
