Rossi doesn't understand last-lap accident
ByAutoSport
Published 21/05/2017 at 17:08 GMT
Valentino Rossi admits he does not understand why he crashed on the last lap of MotoGP's French Grand Prix at Le Mans while fighting Yamaha team-mate Maverick Vinales for victory.
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
Rossi looked like he had pulled off the race-winning overtake on Vinales with three laps left.
But Vinales stuck with Rossi until the final lap, where the Italian ran wide at Garage Vert, allowing his team-mate through, and then crashed out at Turn 11.
"On the last lap I did a mistake, so Maverick overtook me, but I knew that I could have another chance because it was very close," Rossi said.
"I tried to remain there because in section four I was good and, sincerely, what's happened in the crash we don't understand.
"Because usually you have to keep attention to the front but I lost the rear."
Elaborating on his initial error, Rossi said: "Maybe I arrived 1km/h faster but it was enough because I lost the bike in the braking and I went wide.
"So this was the big mistake. because then the other one is the consequence of the first.
"The second crash, we'll check deeply all the data.
"I feel I was strong in the last section but I lost the rear so something happened for sure, I did some mistake that meant I crashed."
Rossi admitted the crash was particularly hard to take because he felt he had done enough to secure the win.
"Today I really feel [upset] because it was the perfect race," he said.
"I thought that I was five corners from the victory and in the crucial moment I did a mistake."
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