MotoGP Sepang: Dixon ‘sick of third and out to show I’m no pushover’

Jake Dixon was back on the Moto2 podium and loving life at Sepang after a difficult weekend with the Inde GasGas Aspar.

Adrift from Friday, Dixon openly admitted he was struggling until his team changed direction. The result, a second row start, from fourth position on Sunday and a dramatic end of race battle with championship leader Augusto Fernandez.

“I left myself so much hard work, as per usual!” Dixon exclaimed from Parc Fermé on Sunday afternoon. “I got hit on the first lap and I thought I had a problem with my bike so I took it easy for a lap to see if everything was alright. It was all alright so I settled into my pace, trying not to use too much rear tyre and then chipped away towards the two in front. Eventually got there from about two seconds but by the time I got there, I used so much energy.

“Then me and Augusto started battling and it was hard. No one made contact. It was a hard battle and yeah, it was fair, it was clean on both parts.

“Unfortunately Ogura went down on the last lap, which gifted me the third position. I want to thank the team because it’s been a difficult weekend. We come back from being well back on day one - 1.4 off - what a great podium to give the guys!”

While Dixon enjoy the late-race battles, Fernandez was less impressed.

“At the end of the day we’re not playing cards are we?” The Brit said after his Spanish rival seemed reluctant to shake hands post race. “We’re out here racing motorbikes and he’s got to go for it as much as I’m going for it. I want the podium as much as he wants the podium. I know he’s going for the championship but this is the situation.

“I have the utmost respect for Augusto. He’s an amazing talent. He’s obviously going for the championship but at the end of the