CRASH GALLERY: Take another look at the Turn 2 fracas just moments after lights out in Race 1 at Balaton
Seven riders saw gravel after coming to grief on the first lap of the circuit’s inaugural race
The first MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship Hungarian Round in 35 years started on a wild note as the red flag was waved less than one lap into the affair. After jumping off the line at lights out, the grid funnelled into the first corner, a heavy braking right-handed corner, before turning the bike over for Turn 2’s tight bend to the left. As the grid packed into the corner, riders found themselves operating with little to no space. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven) clipped Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) as they leaned into the second corner, causing a chain reaction which ended up tossing a total of seven riders from their bikes: Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team), Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team), Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing), Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) , Iker Lecuona (Honda HRC) and of course Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven).
The crash ended the race for Vickers with mechanical issues, and resulted in Lecuona being ruled unfit with a broken wrist, and Gardner ruled unfit with a back contusion and suspected concussion. Gerloff was later ruled unfit after the race from the incident’s impact; having suffered an injury to his lower back, however not before he rode in Race 1 and finished P9.
Photo credits: ALEX PHOTO
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