Marc Marquez ‘doesn’t agree’ with stewards' verdict on Bastianini/Martin move
Eight-time world champion sides with Martin in Misano last-lap debate
Marc Marquez says he ‘doesn’t agree’ with the decision by MotoGP’s stewards not to penalise Enea Bastianini for his controversial Emilia Romagna Grand Prix pass on Jorge Martin.
Championship leader Martin led for most of Sunday’s 27-lap race at Misano as he fended off a hard-charging Bastianini.
On the final lap, Bastianini threw his factory Ducati up the inside of Martin into Turn 4 and the pair made contact.
Martin was forced well off track, while Bastianini also ran beyond the kerb as he moved into the lead.
Bastianini won the race by five seconds, with the stewards electing not to penalise the Italian and allowing the result to stand.
Marquez, who finished third after Francesco Bagnaia crashed on lap 21, admits Bastianini winning is bad for him as it moves the Italian ahead by one point in the championship.
But he doesn’t agree with the stewards’ decision and believes, because Bastianini also ran off track, that Martin should have been given the place back.
“I saw a replay,” Marquez said.
“Enea was out of the track too. So, for me, it’s not good for the championship - looking at our interests.
“But for me, if Enea was out of the track too, then [he should] drop one position.
“Because when you do an aggressive overtake, when you are inside the track then it’s not a problem.
“But when you go out of the track, then it means you should drop one position. I’m not agree with that decision [for the stewards not to investigate].
“But, one more time, it’s not good for our interest in the championship. But it’s like this.”
Martin expressed his frustrations with the incident, saying he “deserved” to win and that Bastianini had “no room” to make that move.
He now leads the championship by 24 points after Bagnaia crashed out, while Gresini rider Marquez is 60 adrift in fourth after an Emilia Romagna weekend in which he struggled to match the pace of the GP24s.
