Moto2: Kallio torpedoed in 'suicidal' Marquez move

"It was a 'racing incident' apparently, which makes about as much sense as Marquez's reasons for trying such a suicidal move in the first place"- Michael Bartholemy, Marc VDS.

Peter McLaren

13 Oct 2012

Kallio, Moto2, San Marino MotoGP 2012
© Gold and Goose

Mika Kallio and the Marc VDS team couldn't hide their anger after the Finn was 'torpedoed' by Moto2 World Championship leader Marc Marquez in Saturday morning practice at Motegi.

Kallio overtook Marquez on the inside into the left-hand turn seven and looked to have the racing line into the following right hander.

However Marquez, who at one point was almost a full bike-length behind, kept the power on and punted into the side of the Kalex rider as he turned in.

The impact knocked the rear of Kallio's machine sideways and into a highside.

Man and machine then tumbled heavily into the gravel, with Kallio's bike suffering heavy damage as it barrel-rolled to a halt. Marquez remained on two-wheels and re-joined the track.

"Someone should have maybe told Marc Marquez that the race is tomorrow, because his move in free practice this morning was completely out of order," said Kallio.

"He ran wide into the turn and I went under him cleanly, only for him to torpedo me from behind at the next turn. He hit me so hard he bent the swinging arm; I don't think he even thought about shutting off."

Marc VDS team principal Michael Bartholemy was amazed that Marquez had not been punished.

"Marc Marquez's move on Mika in free practice this morning was beyond reckless and it's lucky that it's just the bike we had to replace and not the rider as well," said Bartholemy.

"He [Marquez] wasn't sanctioned for the crash because it was a 'racing incident' apparently, which makes about as much sense as Marquez's reasons for trying such a suicidal move in the first place."

2013 MotoGP rider Marquez will start Sunday's race from second on the grid and Kallio 15th.

Kallio's team-mate Scott Redding later suffered a painful, if self-inflicted, incident on his way to fourth in qualifying.

"The front tucked on me exiting the hairpin, I got on the gas to pick the bike up only for the rear to come round on me," said the Englishman. "It flicked me pretty high and I landed back on the bike so hard I thought I'd swallowed my own nuts!"