Maximo Quiles, the current leader of the Red Bull Rookies Cup championship, has been excluded from the next round of the MotoGP access class at the Dutch TT in three weeks. The 16-year-old rider, who has already won the European Talent Cup twice, will not be participating in the two races at the Assen circuit. This decision comes after Quiles caused a scary accident at the finish line during the second race at the Italian Grand Prix. The incident can be seen around the 39 minutes and 30 seconds mark of the race broadcast.
During the race at Mugello, Quiles was in the lead as he approached the final corner. He maneuvered aggressively on the track, trying to block his pursuers from taking advantage of his slipstream. Unfortunately, this resulted in a collision with South African rider Ruche Moodley, who then collided with Alvaro Carpe. Fortunately, Moodley managed to avoid major damage, while Quiles recovered from the initial impact and finished in fifth place. Valentin Perrone from Argentina claimed the victory.
This incident raised concerns within the MotoGP paddock, especially considering the tragic death of Moto3 rider Jason Dupasquier at the same circuit three years ago. Several riders called for immediate consequences for Quiles, holding him responsible for the accident. Aprilia team rider Aleix Espargaro expressed relief that no serious injuries occurred, but emphasized the importance of teaching Quiles a lesson to avoid future disasters.
The stewards, taking into consideration the warnings issued to the drivers about the risks of abrupt changes in trajectory in the last corner, decided to impose a two-race suspension on Quiles. They found him guilty of causing the accident by changing direction in front of another driver at Turn 15. Quiles, who is part of the Vertical Management team established by Marc and Alex Marquez, is widely considered one of the most talented drivers in the junior racing classes. He expressed remorse for the incident, stating that he was “truly sorry” for the contact with Moodley.
Despite the suspension, Quiles still maintains his fifth place in the second Mugello race. This result gives him a narrow eight-point advantage in the championship standings over Brian Uriarte, with eight rounds remaining in the season.
