GRT Yamaha rider Garrett Gerloff leaves WorldSBK Assen ‘devastated’๊ following yet another race inciden𓃲t. 

While no mistake ca🎃used by a rider that leads to another crashing is acceptable, the golden rule of all Motorsport is not to take out a team-mate - or in ඣthis case fellow rider from the same manufacturer. 

But that’s exactly what hap♔pen♚ed during race two at Assen when Gerloff hit Toprak Razgatlioglu - leading to the Pata Yamaha rider crashing from the lead. 

Gerloff’s talent has never been in question; just look at the American’s adaptabil🌸ity from Superbike to MotoGP machinery, coming from the back of the field to claim top five finishes on more than one occasion, or claiming a podium at Donington in his first ever appearance.

However, it’s the reckless nature of his riding that some🌌times unravels all the good. There have already been three key instances of that this season; Aragon when he lunged down the inside of Rea and crashed, Estoril where hit the rear of Michael Rina🃏ldi after getting completely out of shape, and yesterday’s incident - shades of Aragon when Gerloff braked too late and had nowhere to go but into the rider ahead. 

After the race, Gerloff 🔥said: "I'm devastated and I c🦹an only apologise to Toprak and to Yamaha for today. 

"I got a good s🍸tart from the third row of the grid, I felt the contact in turn one, but I didn't realise it was Toprak ඣuntil I looked back. 

"I'm sorry for him, as 𒈔he paid a big price for my mistake, but also for Yamaha, who have worked tirelessly to mount a championship challenge. 

"I can only apologise to both, although I am well aware🥂 that this won't change the outcome."

Yamaha’s faith in the American also can’t be🦹 questioned until now as they gave him a one-year extension before the weekend began - could lead to a MotoGP ride even though it’s contracted to WorldSBK. But moments like yesterday will need to be eliminated if the good faith placed in him is to continue.  

Team-mate Kohta Nozane moved up to sixteenth in the championship following a round five that produced a double points✨ finish for the Japanese rider. 

"Today my Superpole Race was not that good and I discussed with the team about how we could make some set-up improvements for Race 2. These changes worked and I was very happy, my time in the race was quicker t🧔han my qualifying time," added Nozane. 

"Unfortunately, my finger is not recovered 100 per cent still and with 16 laps to go I found it very difficult to keep my pace until the end, so it was tough ꦚto keep the rider behind. 

"In the end, I finished 12th🃏 but of course at Yamaha everyone is riding the same bike, so when I see the others, I think that even though I’m a rookie, I have to convince myself to ai💛m higher. 

"To the next race in Czech Republic, it’s the first time for everyone, so there I hope to be able to reach anoth꧙er level to get closer to the other Yamaha riders."