P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The British Grand Prix at Silverstone was the stage of the latest disagreement between Franco Morbidelli and Aleix Espargaro – and prompted a curious claim from Morbidelli about a past incident
At the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Franco Morbidelli and Aleix Espargaro had another disagreement, sparking memories of their late-2023 row when Espargaro slapped Morbidelli during a practice incident in Qatar, leading to tension that was later resolved.
During the British GP, Espargaro (now a Honda test rider) crashed into Morbidelli, causing a red flag, and the latter capitalized on the restart to finish fourth, describing the race as akin to a “Quentin Tarantino movie” with a “happy ending.”
Despite his strong finish, Morbidelli was critical of Espargaro’s driving, citing a similar incident in Misano 2020 when Espargaro’s crash cost him crucial points in the championship race, ultimately finishing 13 points behind champion Joan Mir.
The 2020 Misano incident raised questions about its impact on the championship outcome and if Morbidelli could have finished second in that race to potentially affect the title battle with Mir, who claimed the championship with a round to spare.
Espargaro apologized for his actions, expressing regret for causing the crash at Silverstone, but the tension between him and Morbidelli remains palpable.
