Marco Bezzecchi faced a challenging turn in his MotoGP campaign after sustaining injuries during a harsh crash at Motegi. The Italian rider’s hopes for a strong finish were compromised following a ninth-place start and a collision involving his Aprilia teammate Jorge Martin during the Sprint race.
Setback in Qualifying Hampers Motegi Prospects
Bezzecchi entered Motegi recovering from a strong San Marino weekend, where he secured pole position, won the Sprint race, and finished second to Marc Marquez. However, his qualifying session at Motegi proved difficult, landing him in ninth position.
“During the second time-attack, something happened that we still need to analyse, and we were unable to set a good lap time or match Friday’s performance,”
Bezzecchi said, explaining the unexpected drop in pace after Friday’s strong showing.
“Starting from ninth makes everything harder, especially on a track like this.”
Crash with Teammate Causes Multiple Injuries
The biggest challenge arose on the opening corner of the Sprint race, when Jorge Martin, starting 17th, lost control and collided into Bezzecchi’s bike. This incident took out both riders and left the Italian nursing several injuries.
Bezzecchi suffered significant trauma to his right leg, alongside discomfort in his hands, back, and neck. He described the severity of the injury to his leg, noting the muscle in his thigh was severely bruised and his knee movement was painfully restricted.
“The worst part was the leg. The muscle in the thigh is completely full of blood. And also the knee, to bend the leg was very difficult,”
Bezzecchi explained.
Martin’s condition was more serious, with a displaced fracture in his right shoulder, forcing him to head back to Europe for surgery. This marks his fourth hospitalization in an injury-plagued season.
Respect and Understanding Between Teammates Despite Collision
Following the crash, Bezzecchi checked on Martin’s wellbeing immediately, realizing that although he felt pain himself, his injuries were less grave.
“I went immediately to check how he was after the crash, because I felt pain but realised quite quickly that I didn’t have anything broken,”
Bezzecchi said on Sunday.
“I saw Jorge keeping his hand on his shoulder, so I went to check, and he was in a lot of pain. So I didn’t want to disturb him.”
Despite the severity of the crash, Bezzecchi insisted there were no hard feelings between the two Aprilia riders.
He admitted that Martin’s aggressive move from far back on the grid was a misjudgment but emphasized their mutual respect and good relationship.
“I never had any problem with Jorge. Of course, as I said to him, the mistake for me was a bit too much, considering where he started compared to me. I’m sure that he realised immediately.
But we never had anything wrong. And when he came back after the medical checks, it was very cool to speak a bit with him. He apologised, but to be honest, everything was okay [between us] already.”
Continuing the Championship Fight Despite Injuries
If Bezzecchi’s injuries had been more serious, his chances of catching Francesco Bagnaia in the championship battle could have collapsed, threatening Aprilia’s standing as the best manufacturer after Ducati.
Still, Bezzecchi managed to compete in the Grand Prix race on Sunday, securing fourth place despite his physical discomfort.
“I made a decent race. I’m not happy, but it was the maximum that I could do considering everything,”
Bezzecchi commented on his performance.
Currently, Bezzecchi trails Bagnaia by 32 points ahead of the Indonesian round, keeping his title hopes alive but under pressure.
Meanwhile, Martin is set to undergo surgery in Europe to address his broken collarbone, aiming to recover from what has been a difficult season filled with injuries and hospital visits.
