Alex Marquez gets hefty penalty for multi-bike Motegi crash
Gresini Ducati rider Alex Marquez will serve a double long-lap penalty in Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi for causing a multi-bike crash in the sprint.
Marquez was attacking fellow Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio for sixth place coming into Turn 3 on the opening lap, but ran out of room to navigate the corner as Pedro Acosta cut back in after being forced to the outside by Bastianini.
Marquez thus lost the front in trying desperately to slow down, hitting Acosta, before his bike then also collected Di Giannantonio on the outside.
He will retain fifth on the grid on Sunday but will be compromised by a double long-lap assessed by the Simon Crafar-led stewards' panel, despite this being a first offence this season for the Gresini man.
Incidentally, the crash eliminated Marquez's future KTM team-mate in Di Giannantonio and his future employer's lead rider in Acosta.
Other double long-lap penalties this season included one for Joan Mir for ignoring a black-and-orange flag and ones for Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco for causing multi-rider pile-ups at the start.
Speaking to media after the sprint, Acosta said that incidents like these happened in racing but semi-chastised Marquez for "trying to get a podium quite early".
He also lamented a lost opportunity to make up points on third-placed-in-the-standings Marco Bezzecchi, believing that a podium - though likely not a win - was on the cards had he stayed on.
Marquez, meanwhile, said he accepted the penalty and that he had made a mistake, and apologised for ending his rivals' races.
