Marc Marquez must face penalty whenever he returns after rule clarification
The Repsol Honda rider was penalised for causing a crash which wiped out Miguel Oliveira and also damaged Jorge Martin at the Portuguese MotoGP, but the initial wording suggested his penalty was only to be served at the Argentina MotoGP.
But Marquez will miss Argentina this weekend anyway, because he needed surgery on an injured hand sustained in the Portimao crash.
It was therefore anticipated that he would be absent for when his penalty was supposed to be served.
But, now, motorcycle racing’s governing body has clarified that Marquez must serve a double long lap penalty upon his comeback.
That could be in the third round of the 2023 season at the Grand Prix of the Americas on April 14, if he has recovered in time.
Martin, who suffered toe and ankle injuries after contact caused by Marquez in Portimao, has said that the Honda rider warrants a harsher penalty because of the frequency of the incidents he has been involved in.
Aleix Espargaro wanted Marquez banned for at least one race.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
