Jordi Torres has been crowned the 2021 MotoE World Cup Champion in controversial circumstances after a collision on the final lap of the season finale in Misano forced stewards to intervene on deciding the title winner.
The Spaniard - also champion in 2020 - looked to have had his hopes of a double crown scuppered when he fell within sight of the finish line, the result of contact with title rival Dominique Aegerter, who went on to claim the win and the championship.
However, stewards would rule Aegerter - who can be seen sliding the rear before clattering into the side of his rival’s Energica Ego - was too aggressive in his attempts to get past Torres, slapping him with an equivalent ride-thru penalty of 38secs. That dropped him to 12th place, handing the title back to an emotional Torres.
The contentious decision overshadowed a thrilling end to the all-electric MotoE series’ third season on the MotoGP support package, with Torres and Aegerter coming into the final round double header at Misano as relative outsiders to leaders Alessandro Zaccone and Eric Granado.
However, when both of the leading two riders failed to finish Race 1, the emphasis turned on Torres and Aegerter, who went into the final showdown split by eight points.
Building into a crescendo on the final lap, even if Aegerter on the Intact Dynavolt GP bike managed to overtake Torres cleanly, his rival would have still come away with the title. However, the ensuing collision meant the Swiss rider crossed the line as the provisional champion.
Nonetheless, the penalty would reverse the order with Torres crowned the winner for Pons Racing for the second year in succession.
Despite the disappointment, Aegerter could take some heart from the fact he is still well placed to win his first World Championship in 2021. After dovetailing his MotoE commitments with a stint in the WorldSSP Championship, he has emerged as the rider to beat despite being forced to miss this weekend’s event in Barcelona.
Remarkably, despite his absence, Aegerter’s healthy championship lead was barely dented by closest rival Steve Odendaal, whose seventh and eighth in Spain means the Ten Kate Yamaha rider remains well out front by 45 points with four rounds to go.
