Explained: The bizarre tear-off incident which nearly cost Marc Marquez

Marc Marquez has explained why he was forced to remove the visor tear-off that ultimately led to his terrible start that almost cost him victory at the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix.

The Gresini rider got massive wheelspin off the line at the start of the 27-lap Phillip Island grand prix, dropping him down the order like a stone.

Having qualified second, Marquez looked to head into Turn 1 as low as 13th on his GP23 but would quickly fight his way back up to sixth.

Marquez ultimately went on to challenge long-time race leader Jorge Martin and beat the Pramac rider in a thrilling duel.

In parc ferme, Marquez explained that he normally never removes a visor tear-off on the grid “because it is dangerous”.

But “something super-big” splatted on his visor as he was lining up on the grid and forced him to quickly get rid of the tear-off, which then got stuck underneath his rear tyre as he discarded it.

This is what led to his massive wheelspin off the line and nearly cost him his third grand prix win of the season.

“Always something happens,” Marquez exclaimed immediately after the race.

“I never pull the tear-off at the start because it is dangerous.

“But this time, as I put the holeshot of the bike [on], something was super-big [in front of my eyes].

“I didn’t have a chance [to think]. I took it off.

“Unluckily it went under my wheel. I saw it, I tried to remove it but it was impossible.

“When I released the clutch it started to spin.

“I don’t know where I was at the first corner but I overtook many riders.

"I thought it was impossible to catch Martin, then on lap five or six I was more calm. I was saving the tyre to have the last attack.”

Marquez explained that there is a gentleman’s agreement in place among the riders to limit dropping visor tear-offs on the grid on safety grounds.

One of the most famous examples of discarded tear-offs causing problems came at Misano in 2020 when Jack Miller’s Ducati sucked up Fabio Quartararo’s tear-off and it ended the Australian’s race.

“In the end it was my fault, because it’s not a rule but with the riders we speak together to try to avoid removing the tear-off on the grid, for you and also for the others,” he explained.

“But this time I didn’t have a choice.”

'Rookie error' to 'best win' on a Ducati

TNT Sports’ Michael Laverty considered that Marquez was the victim of an insect flying into his visor on the starting grid.

“Normally if there’s a fly, as you come off the grid you’ll pull the tear-off, so it’s behind the grid,” Laverty said.

“He was activating his lowering device on the front end of the machine. He rolled up to his spot and wanted to dispose of the fly.

“He took the tear-off off and unfortunately the wind blew it under his bike.

“You are trying to activate 300-brake horsepower over a slippery plastic film…

“He controlled it so well.”

Laverty added: “He didn’t get his tear-off off as he ran up to the grid.

“He dropped it under his bike which was a bit of a rookie error. It was due to activating the lower device.

“I don’t know how he managed to get through his battle with Enea Bastianini on Lap 1.

“He was relentless through the field, just so strong.

“The race-winning overtake was from downtown. He sent it up the inside, and sent Jorge a little wide. Then put three strong laps on to eke out a gap.

“He was the comfortable victor. What a comeback ride - his best yet on a Ducati.”

Marquez’s decisive move came on lap 25 of 27 when he launched a daring raid on the inside of Martin into Turn 4, forcing the Pramac rider slightly wide.

His Australian GP win is his first at Phillip Island since 2019 and marks the first time since 2021 that he has scored three grand prix victories in a season.

With Enea Bastianini a distant fifth at the chequered flag, Marquez is now 14 points clear of the factory Ducati rider in third in the standings.