Marc Marquez: ‘Someone changed my penalty’, new rule risks 'bad image’

Marc Marquez has warned that the revised penalty wording, introduced in the aftermath of the FIM Stewards' failed attempt to revise his Portimao MotoGP penalty, could create new risks and problems.

Peter McLaren

11 May 2023

Earlier this week the MotoGP Court of Appeal overturned the FIM Stewards' attempt to change the wording of Marquez’s original double long lap penalty, for colliding with Miguel Oliveira, from Argentina to his next race back.

The change was attempted when it emerged that Marquez would miss Argentina due to a thumb fracture - despite the penalty already being signed and sealed, plus earlier verbal assurances that it only counted for Argentina.

Repsol Honda promptly appealed the ‘modification’ with the Court ruling in their favour.

But even before that verdict, the FIM Stewards had already changed the penalty wording, post-Portimao, to state that punishments are to be served "at the next Grand Prix race at which the rider participates".

The only exemption is if a rider misses their next race due to a "subsequent and unrelated injury or illness" in which case the penalty will not be carried over.

But Marquez warned that riders might now attempt to return early from their injuries simply to fulfil the penalty, then retire from the race. A move that would create a ‘bad image’ as well as putting themselves and others at risk.

“When I received that penalty, I went to the Stewards [in Portimao] and I completely agreed to receive it because it was a big mistake,” Marquez said.

“But what I received was for Argentina, it was written there on the paper, and I signed.

“I asked the Stewards again ‘is it for Argentina?’ They said yes.

“I had surgery. Then, for some reason, after two days, somebody changed it. I don’t know who, but it’s not my fault.

“Believe me, the worst penalty was to be at home for three races.

“Now, it looks like [the wording of the penalties] is changed to ‘the next race that you will race’, if you don’t get injured.

“It’s not the best solution. Because we will take more risks.

“Already in the past we had some situations - for example Marini in Moto2 did it and it’s normal - it will create that the riders will force more to come back [early].

“And it will create a bad image. Because the riders will make the penalty and then stop in the box.

“For me, it would have been easy to come back in Jerez, take the penalty, and stop in the box.

“This, we need to avoid. So they need to think about another strategy.

“I am not the boss of the FIM, the boss is the one who needs to fix everything.”