Published: 06 Sep 2024
"Hurt our Sport" - Alex Márquez on Controversial Crash with Bagnaia
Alex Marquez is certain Pecco Bagnaia’s harsh words after their controversial Aragon GP crash, hurt the sport and made him and his team suffer.
One of the most eventful weeks in Alex Márquez’s MotoGP career has been filled with controversy. Following an unfortunate on-track collision with Pecco Bagnaia, the current runner-up in the championship standings, the Gresini Racing rider found himself at the heart of a heated clash.
The incident occurred shortly after his brother Marc Márquez’s victory at the Aragon Grand Prix. Márquez and Bagnaia crashed during the race, sending both riders out of the competition. Bagnaia was quick to vent his anger, calling Márquez the only one responsible for the collision and accusing the Spanish rider of acting recklessly.
Online rumors about this caused a stir; some fans even suggested that Márquez had taken out Bagnaia on purpose. Bagnaia himself added fire to the suspicions, saying race data unequivocally identified Márquez responsible for the incident.
Thankfully, during the press conference held in Misano prior to the race, things started to defuse. Reversing course, Bagnaia publicly apologized to Márquez. Despite acknowledging the gesture, Márquez, 28, made it plain that the harm had already been done.
“The apology is nice of him, but unfortunately, my team and I have suffered because of this,” Márquez remarked. He remained silent when reporters urged him to clarify the specific type of damage he was talking about.
“It wasn’t good for the sport. I just want to put this behind me and move on,” he remarked, signaling his desire to close this chapter. Both riders were lucky to escape the incident with only minor injuries.
The race stewards later declared it to be a racing incident, meaning neither rider received any penalties. Márquez is still suffering from the aftermath of the Aragon crash as he approaches Misano.
“I’ve been given massages and physiotherapy a lot.” He said, “I feel a little better now, but not 100%.” Although Márquez had some difficulties on the Misano circuit last year, he is still optimistic that the track’s qualities could fit his riding style.
Thus far, Márquez’s season has been uneventful. Despite his impressive showing at the Sachsenring, where he finished on the podium, he is presently 10th in the overall standings with 104 points. By contrast, his brother Marc has remained the center of attention, creating a lengthy shadow over Alex’s season.
