Red Bull KTM Tech3 Moto3 rider Deniz Öncü has been banned for two races, for causing a crash in the restarted Moto3 race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Öncü moved to the left as the pack headed down the straight on the third lap of the restarted Moto3 race, clipping the front wheel of Jeremy Alcoba’s Honda, causing Alcoba to crash at high speed, being hit by Andrea Migno and Pedro Acosta.
Miraculously, given the speed at which the crash happened, nobody was injured, but the crash was serious enough to bring out the red flags.
The FIM Stewards took a very serious view of Öncü’s riding, which went directly against the instructions issued at the start of the weekend.
They also regarded it as a deliberate move to try to block Alcoba, which deserved extra punishment. For that reason, they decided to impose a ban of two races, suspending Öncü for the Misano 2 and Portimão races.
The FIM Stewards have been trying to clamp down on bad behavior, especially in the Moto3 class, in light of the spate of deaths which have happened this year.
The Stewards have tried a range of penalties to try to discourage dangerous riding, especially during practice and qualifying, but this is the most severe penalty handed out in some time.
Whether it will be effective in dissuading Öncü and other Moto3 riders from indulging in dangerous riding, only time will tell.
Source: FIM; Photo: © 2021 KTM / Polarity Photo – All Rights Reserved
Comments