Spies plays down hints of underlying tension within Yamaha following post-Indianapolis comments
Ben Spies has moved to play down hints of underlying tension within Yamaha following post-race comments at the Indianapolis Grand Prix
The Texan, who caused a stir at Laguna Seca when he confirmed via Twitter that he would be leaving the Japanese squad, said that he had been told by 'somebody high up' in Yamaha that he should not arrive at the US circuit unless he was prepared to ride at 100 per cent.
The comments came after Spies retired with an engine failure while running second at Indianapolis. He had led early on and looked the only rider capable of matching eventual winner Dani Pedrosa.
"I was told by somebody at Yamaha that if I'm not going to ride a hundred per cent at Laguna, don't show up. I came to Laguna, and I tried the best I could," Spies said in an interview released by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"The bike had a malfunction. Then we came here with a hundred per cent and did the best we could, and we had another mechanical with the bike. I've given my hundred per cent.
"I'm not going to say any names, but yeah, it was somebody high up."
Asked about his frustrations at the cavalcade of unlucky blows he has suffered this season, he responded: "There's frustration, but it's kind of almost got to a laughing point for me. I'm really not even upset about it.
"It's just been so many things, one after another. You don't know how to respond to it.
"So to be told what I was told after Mugello and the way it was, and then to give the effort I've given the last two weekends, I just don't think it's been too fair."
In the same interview however Spies insisted he had no doubts his Yamaha crew were absolutely behind him.
"I know my team is, my crew. It's shown," he replied when asked if Yamaha was behind him 100 per cent. "The bike's been good the last two weekends. I just don't respect what was told to me and what we've tried to do this year.
"I wouldn't say it's Yamaha's fault at all. It's just been bad luck, too. Why it's happening to me, I don't know."
Spies took to Twitter on Monday night to reiterate that view, and to also play down speculation that his comments were directed at Yamaha racing boss Lin Jarvis.
"I made a statement this weekend about some tension in our team and what people have said to me. People always fill in spaces with nonsense," Spies said on his official Twitter account.
"I have a lot of people behind me including my boss Mr Jarvis which [sic] has been behind me the whole time he wanted Jorge [Lorenzo] and me to be Yamaha."
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