Pol Espargaro ‘conscious, neurologically fine’ after Portimao accident
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Espargaro brought out the red flags after falling at turn 10 in this afternoon’s second practice session at Portimao.It is not yet clear if the GASGAS rider was injured while bouncing through the gravel trap, being hit by his bike and/or during contact with the trackside barrier.Espargaro suffered heavy impacts to his chest and back, but is conscious and can move his legs and arms.MotoGP 2023 Season Preview | MotoGP Podcast EP81Video of MotoGP 2023 Season Preview | MotoGP Podcast EP81‘Top speed, flow’ – Morbidelli makes 2023 Yamaha fairing choiceMartin surprised by factory Ducati aero choice, ‘one of the strongest’‘Test was bad’ but Pol feels ‘better with the GASGAS than Honda’Charte said: “Pol Espargaró has had a high-intensity and suffered multiple traumas. To determine the extent, he will need to be evaluated via further examination at Faro hospital, specifically his spine.”Espargaro did not lose consciousness and is described as ‘perfectly fine neurologically’.”His oxygen levels are good, but he has quite a significant lung contusion, the extent of which we will need to confirm with CT scans and MRIs at Faro hospital,” Charte added.”He has suffered severe spinal trauma and a contusion to his lungs which we will have to monitor closely. Although I think he will recover well, we need to conduct the appropriate tests to determine the extent of his injuriesRelated Jack Miller ‘as surprised as you!’ with P1. ‘Jump? I saw a video of Toprak’ Portuguese MotoGP, Portimao – Friday Practice Results (2)”He is conscious, alert, and responding well. He is slightly sedated due to the painkillers we have administered. He can move his feet, legs, and arms perfectly well, so there is no reason to fear any permanent spinal injury.”Espargaro’s Tech3 team-mate and MotoGP rookie Augusto Fernandez said: “I think he’s out of big danger. He’s OK so far. Let’s hope for the best for him and that he can recover well.”On the accident itself, the reigning Moto2 champion added: “It was a very strange and big one. It’s not a normal part [of the track] to , quite early in the corner.”It’s difficult because you arrive with the MotoGP and we brake [over the crest] so all the bike unloads and it’s easy to lose the rear. Maybe a cold tyre, I don’t know. It’s a tricky point there.”Aleix: ‘Right now I am worried’Pol’s older brother Aleix, who had been leading the timesheets for Aprilia at the time of the accident, was waiting to hear the exact diagnosis when he spoke to the media on Friday evening.”I still don’t know anything about Pol. My wife is there with Carlota [Pol’s wife] and I spoke with Chatre. It is really good to have him here and he calmed me a lot. Hopefully, I can receive some news,” he said.Asked if he was angry at the lack of an airfence in that area, Aleix replied: “No, I am not angry at all. I want to talk with Pol and see if he is OK. We will have time to blame somebody and put a fence but right now I am worried.”Other riders, including reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia, questioned if the size of the gravel, a topic long debated at Portimao, was also a factor.”Without this gravel, it was not as bad. Because it was a bad , but… when Pol arrived on the gravel, he started to accelerate. And I think the air fence there is either small or not there at all.”Eight-time world champion Marc Marquez said: “It’s a point where they need to put an airfence tomorrow, not next year.””4
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