Future MotoGP rivals embroiled in bitter feud after shocking teammate accusation
Dani Holgado faced some strong claims from his teammate (Credit: Red Bull Content Pool)
Connor Andrews is Formula 1 and MotoGP writer for GPblog and various outlets. Having worked in motorsport for 15 years for leading companies, he has interviewed the sports biggest names and attended multiple Grands Prix.
Two of Moto2’s biggest stars have turned on each other in remarkable scenes.
David Alonso and Dani Holgado will be racing against each other again in MotoGP next year, but by the sound of things, they’d rather be kept apart.
The Spanish-born duo (Alonso races under the Colombian flag) are currently teammates at Aspar and were title rivals earlier in the season.
Now both over 90 points from the championship lead, their chances of competing for the title took an almighty knock last time out at the Indonesian Grand Prix.
Alonso still hasn't cooled off from his teammate crash (Credit: Red Bull Content Pool)
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The teammates collided in Mandalika and Alonso was sent flying and straight to hospital with a nasty pulmonary contusion (bruising of the lung).
Thankfully, the 2024 Moto3 champion was able to recover in time for Australia this weekend, but he still hadn’t cooled off.
Speaking ahead of track action on Friday, Alonso made his feelings towards Holgado clear.
David Alonso questions Dani Holgado's character after Indonesian GP crash
“When someone isn’t a good person, there’s nothing you can do,” he said. “I’ll carry on with my own thing and he with his.
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“The fact that someone took me out, this is racing. Someone might take you out, I might take someone else out, that's the least of it. There's much more to it than that.
“There's no relationship, no camaraderie in the team, and it's not a team.”
The remarkable comments from Alonso will likely live long in the memory with his battles to continue with Holgado in MotoGP next year.
Alonso was the final rider on the 2027 grid to have his seat confirmed for the new era of regulations, where he will race for LCR Honda alongside Johann Zarco.
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Holgado was one of the first, signing for Gresini Racing earlier in the summer when he was in the Moto2 title battle.
The Spaniard is a year older than Alonso who he finished as a runner-up to in the 2024 Moto3 championship.
Giving his take on the intra-team rivalry, he was far more reserved.
Dani Holgado responds to Alonso's accusations ahead of Australian GP
He commented: “These things happen in sports. I was even taken out in Misano. But hey, you always have to stay humble. One day you do it, the next day it happens to you.
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“I already apologised because I ruined his race on the first corner. And it's something you never want to do, not even to yourself, because in the end I also crashed at that moment.”
Holgado was then asked about Alonso’s comments and opted to play them down.
The pair have five more races as teammates before joining MotoGP (Credit: Red Bull Content Pool)
He added: “I’m focused on my own thing. I’ll greet him without any problem, and everything is the same within the team.
“It’s normal, we’ve only been together two days. We haven’t talked about it. I’d like to, because I don’t have a problem with it.
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“In the end, I think we’re too old to talk about these things, but I’m sure we’ll talk about it in the future.
“I don't take what he said seriously. These things happen. It's pure and simple rivalry. And I also think this is part of the sport.”
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