At the Hungarian MotoGP, Alex Marquez MotoGP grid penalty has fueled a heated dispute after he was handed a three-place grid drop for obstructing his competitors during Friday’s practice session. The Gresini Ducati rider was caught in a contentious moment as Jack Miller and Francesco Bagnaia openly showed their frustration on camera, having been impeded on the track.
Marquez Defends His Actions Amid Track Confusion
The FIM Stewards assigned blame to Marquez for blocking the racing lines, but the Spanish rider quickly defended himself, claiming the situation was chaotic and that he was equally hindered. Marquez stated,
“All that incident started on my flying lap,”
and continued,
“I was going really, really fast when I found Jack stopped in T4, trying to follow someone, and Diggia was also prepping for his flying lap. They disturbed me. Especially Diggia.”
He stressed the complexity of navigating a newly introduced circuit, where all riders strive to find the best slipstream. Marquez added,
“From that moment on, in T1-T2, I was just trying to stay close to the side of the track to avoid disturbing anyone,”
and pointed out,
“He was complaining, but he forgot that other riders were coming, like Pecco. I was well off the line, really on the inside, but Jack was in the middle.”
Grid Penalties Affect Multiple Riders After Multi-Party Incident
As a result of the clash, both Marquez and Miller received three-place grid penalties. Marquez’s penalty stemmed from delaying Miller and Bagnaia, while Miller was penalized for interfering with Bagnaia himself. Marquez reflected on the challenges saying,
“It’s also true that with a new track, everyone tries to find the best slipstream, making it hard to know where to be without being in someone’s way,”
highlighting the intense pressure riders face in these conditions.
Marquez’s Standings and Recent Struggles
Currently, Alex Marquez trails his brother Marc, the world championship leader, by 142 points but still holds a 52-point advantage over Francesco Bagnaia in the rankings. This penalty is Marquez’s second in a row, following a long lap penalty in Austria related to a collision with Joan Mir. Despite these difficulties, Marquez remains focused and confident about his capabilities.
Preparing for Race Day with Optimism
Marquez shared his positive outlook on his pace:
“On single-lap performance, we’re competitive, even though this track doesn’t favor my riding style,”
while noting that his brother Marc and teammate Fermin Aldeguer appear more at ease on the circuit. He outlined his plans, explaining,
“Today we worked extensively with the medium tire, but tomorrow we’ll shift our focus to the soft tire.”
Though the penalty will impact Marquez’s starting position on Sunday’s main race, it will not influence his showing in the Sprint event. As the weekend unfolds, attention will remain on Marquez as he strives to overcome the recent controversy and deliver a strong performance.
