Avintia Racing rider Hector Barbera finished ninth after a hard 21-lap-race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas today. He improved lap by lap from the 14th place of the grid to be fighting for the seventh position with Pol Espargaro and Michele Pirro. But he had a big moment in the final laps that put him out of the battle, but this was still a positive result and the third top ten in succession for the Spanish rider.
Loris Baz had a great start from the third lane of the grid but he suddenly crashed out on the second lap after another rider touched him in the first turn. The French Avintia Racing rider went back on track with his bike damaged, but he managed to bring it home in 15th position and get his first point of the season after crashing in Qatar and retiring in Argentina.
Overall the start of the MotoGP World Championship has been positive for Avintia Racing, with Barbera always in the top ten and sixth in the standings before heading to Jerez for the Spanish Grand Prix in just two weeks time.
HÉCTOR BARBERÁ #8 / @HectorBarbera P9
“This was a difficult weekend and every day was getting more complicated. Maybe I came here with high expectations after the fifth place in Argentina, and I think this was not good for us, because during the whole weekend I didn’t work as I had to. So we arrived at the race today eager to race, but maybe with some unfinished homework. This is a very physical circuit and I suffered with my forearm; after five laps I had a lot of pain. Finally I could make up the weekend with another top ten finish and, although this is not relevant, we are the first Ducati and sixth in the standings after three races.”
LORIS BAZ #76 / @lorisbaz P15
“I did a good start and I was in the right group, but on the second lap, when I was passing Bradl, someone came from the inside and hit me. I tried to lift the bike, but I crashed. I don’t know who did it, I hear maybe Bautista, but this is racing. It was difficult to finish the race without shifter, one centimetre footpeg, and damaged swingarm, but I did it for my team and my mechanics after such a good weekend. It was hard and I had some pain in my shoulder, but even though, my pace was not so bad.”
