What do you reckon? IMO the blame lies at the feet of Johnny Rea. Melandri came from miles back and went almost off the track and touched nobody. Haslam went wide enough to easily get a bike through the inside. Johnny was going so fast he couldnt actually get it through the gap he was aiming for, Haslam was already set and going round Goddards, Rea said that Haslam turned in on him, bollocks! Rea couldnt stop or turn it any tighter! There was actually enough room to squeeze another bike through on the inside of Rea (Johnny used less track getting past Biaggi on the previous corner than was left on the inside of him round Goddards) , ive watched it about a dozen times now and you can see that Rea comes from behind and skittles Haslam while Haslam is on a constant radius. No surprise turn in, just too much speed on Johnnys part. Then i've just read MCN and Michael Guy tries to pin the blame for the crash on Melandri, if it wasnt for JR's inability to stop and turn the bike when there was sufficient room to do so (just too much speed), both BMW's would have finished the race. Maybe he was just desperate to blame someone who isnt from the UK.
I too feel that Rea wasn't as blameless as he's been touted. I couldn't see any deviation in Haslam's line either.
The only truly enjoyable moment of the whole affair was the slo mo of the smug grins disappearing off the faces of the assembled BMW dignitaries in the garage.
Simple fact, melandri took 2 silly lunges at haslam and as a consequence Sent Leon wide, rea saw a gap and went for it, but the blame squarely lies on Melandri. Quite simply Melandri is a Dick, he did the same to Laverty last year and brake checked Leon whilst going into foggy esses in race 1, im kinda glad Haslam told him what's what on Sunday night.
I don't care, they can do that every race if that's the sort of racing I am going to sit down and watch Brilliant just to add I think Melandri was at fault I feel sorry for Haslam and I am glad for Rae
I feel Melandri had tried on the last 2 corners an overtake that was not good. IE he was not going to make it. I can understand he wanted to win but maybe at the cost of his team mate. Rea does have some fault but Haslam did sit up when Melandri tried to passthus giving rea a small chance to get past. I would put it at 75% Mel and 25% Rea at fault But just my thoughts
i think it was a racing incident, haslam and melandri were wide and jonny went for the gap and he couldnt have foreseen the outcome.
Rea went for the gap that opened up...... caused by melandri... any of those guys would have done the same......i dont think "Mad Max" looked very happy being put in the shade by a Blade !
I don't see how you can blame the bloke that didn't hit any one Coming into Melbourne I thought Haslam knew Melandri was going to have a lunge and left the space to draw him in before cutting back. Clever. Going into Goddards Rea went for a gap and didn't make it cleanly. His mistake but a racing incident in my view. If you start penalising racers for stuff like that the racing would become pointless. I like the bit in the Senna film when Senna says <Brazilian accent> "If you racing and you see a gap and you no go for gap then you no longer racing driver" </Brazilian accent> Gutted for Haslam though.
I thought the translation from Portuguese went more like "If you are racing and you see Alain Prost and you don't try to kill him then you no longer racing driver"?
Just fast forwarded through 5 hours of racing to watch the incident and boy was it worth it. As no one got hurt I must say it was hilarious seeing the reaction in the BMW garage, shame for Haslam though he's one of my favourite riders. I don't think Rae's move was either aggressive or reckless and as said it's racing anyone would have done the same! It was like a perfect pin 7 and 10 split at the bowling alley down like skittles, I bet Haslam was knackered pushing his bike up the grass!
i wanted marco to win because they always film his misses jumping up and down and those boobs bouncing its a beautiful thing to watch :-}} it was Johny's fault stuck it in from to far back and there wasn't a gap but who cares best racing iv seen all year the boys really put on a show
Good call on the boob watch there shanes. I have to say the racing was top notch can't say i am a massive fan of Rea though.