Alex Marquez experienced mixed emotions at the Indonesian MotoGP, celebrating a double Gresini podium while confronting the distressing injury of his older brother, Marc Marquez. The incident occurred during the first lap at the fast Turn 7, where Marco Bezzecchi collided with Marc’s factory Ducati, resulting in an injury to Marc’s right shoulder.
Marc Marquez later disclosed the severity of his injury, stating,
“It looks like the ligaments in my collarbone are broken.”
Following the crash that eliminated two major race contenders, Alex’s teammate Fermin Aldeguer secured his first MotoGP victory, finishing second behind Pedro Acosta, with Alex himself claiming third place.
Alex Marquez Expresses Mixed Feelings About the Crash
After the race, Alex Marquez shared his disappointment about the crash despite his podium finish:
“Honestly speaking, I’m not completely happy because I saw Marc crashing, and I know that it’s not really super good. It’s life, but sometimes it’s hard to accept,”
he told Dorna’s Matt Birt.
Discussing the details of the collision, Alex explained,
“The incident is clear. I mean, Marco made a mistake. He was too optimistic to overtake, especially on that point; it’s super fast and it’s impossible to make a move there.”
However, he was careful not to harshly judge his rival:
“But, I don’t want to criticise Bezzecchi because, in the end, it’s normal. We have 44 races with the sprints. The percentage [chance] of making a mistake is so high. So, everybody made a mistake during the season; it’s nearly impossible to not make a mistake in some race.”
Alex also highlighted the physical and mental toll the long season places on riders:
“So, it’s totally normal. I’m a rider. We arrived already at the end of the season, physically, mentally [tired]…. It’s something we need to think about for the future.”
Ducati Confirms Injury and Future Steps for Marc Marquez
Ducati issued an official statement confirming the injury:
“As a result of today’s crash in Mandalika, Marc Marquez has suffered an injury to his right collarbone. The Spanish rider will travel tonight to Madrid (Spain) for further medical tests and to decide on the treatment to follow.”
Before departing Mandalika, Marc posted a message to fans on social media, urging calm:
“Please, no hard feelings towards Marco, nobody does it on purpose”
This was his first update following the accident.
Reactions from the MotoGP Community and Championship Implications
Aprilia team principal Massimo Rivola expressed regret over the incident, stating,
“First of all, our apologies go to Marquez. We’re very sorry about what happened.”
Meanwhile, with Marc sidelined, Alex Marquez has advanced his position in the world championship standings, extending his lead over Francesco Bagnaia to 88 points. This progress brings him closer to making MotoGP history with a potential Marquez one-two finish in the title race.
