The CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar rider secured his fifth podium finish of the year after being caught up with his team-mate in a multiple crash that forced the race to be restarted
CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar experienced both sides of the coin at the Indonesian Grand Prix. Dani Holgado took to the podium after finishing third in a race that had to be restarted following a multiple crash at the first corner, in which Holgado himself and his team-mate David Alonso, amongst others, were involved. Unfortunately, the Colombian was unable to take part in the restart. Izan Guevara secured his third consecutive victory and narrowed the gap to Manu González, who finished second, to 5.5 points.
The intermediate class race at the Indonesian Grand Prix looked set to be a great opportunity for Alonso and Holgado, who started from third and fourth on the grid respectively. However, things did not go to plan for CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar: at the first corner, Dani Holgado made contact with his team-mate, causing both of them – and other riders alongside them – to crash. The incident forced the race to be stopped; it was later resumed, albeit shortened to fourteen laps. In this second race, only Holgado was able to return to the track after his team managed to repair the bike. Alonso, on the other hand, had to be taken to hospital with a pulmonary contusion; other injuries have been ruled out. In the second race, Holgado did manage a good start and held onto a podium position despite the discomfort caused by the crash. Despite dropping to fourth place briefly, the Spaniard gave it his all to fight his way back into the top three and cross the finish line in third place.
3rd Dani Holgado (+4.497): “I’d like to apologise for what happened, both to my team-mate David Alonso and to the team. These things sometimes happen in the first few corners, but I’m not using that as an excuse and I take full responsibility for my mistake. I braked and found myself right next to David; unfortunately, we both went down. I was able to get back on the bike, but it wasn’t an easy race. My hand was sore because, in the crash, it had got slightly caught on his wheel. There was also a problem with the bike when shifting into fifth gear: I don’t know what was happening, but the bike would cut out the throttle and that caused me to fall behind, especially in the final sector. I fell behind Izan Guevara and Manu González closed the gap on me significantly, but I gave it everything I had. I’m gutted because I would have liked us both to have been able to battle it out right to the end.”
