Highsider prevents podium for Collin Veijer in Austin

The Moto3 race in Texas resembled a crash festival right from the start, which LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Moto3 rider Collin Veijer narrowly escaped several times until a highsider spectacularly brought him to the ground while lying in second position on lap eleven.

The signs for a successful race Sunday were extremely good for Collin Veijer, especially as he was promoted to third place on the front row after Jose Antonio Rueda’s withdrawal due to illness. But even the starting sequences were already hair-raising. Despite a collision in the first hairpin, the Dutchman remained seated and immediately tried to make up the lost metres and positions. Over the course of the next few laps, the 19-year-old Dutchman fought his way back up to second place, from where he took up the chase from eventual race winner David Alonso, who at one point had a lead of over 4.5s on the strong chasing group. The gap to the front gradually shrank, but with just four laps to go, a highsider catapulted the previously incredibly strong Veijer out of the saddle of his Husqvarna in turn four, which not only cost him his first podium of the season but also numerous World Championship points that would have seen him travelling to Jerez de la Frontera in third place, where the fourth Grand Prix of the year is scheduled in a fortnight’ time.

Collin Veijer, DNF: “A strong race until the crash happened. A few riders touched me on the first few laps. As soon as the field lined up, I tried as best I could to get in front of my group and stay there. I gave it my all on every lap and I saw that I was catching up with [David] Alonso pretty quickly. I did everything the same every lap until I tried to go a bit faster at the entrance of the fast ‘S’ corners and as soon as I turned the bike to the right side, I had a moment and high-sided myself. I am very sorry to the team. We are still sixth in the championship, which is not a big disaster, but I feel much stronger than that. Let’s see what we can do in Jerez.”