‘Karma doesn’t exist’ - Marc Marquez hits back at Marco Bezzecchi injury trolls

Marc Marquez has hit back at online trolls who claim Marco Bezzecchi’s injury after a crash in MotoGP German Grand Prix qualifying was ‘karma’ for their tangle in Indonesia.

Erstwhile championship leader Marco Bezzecchi suffered a fractured left collarbone in a heavy crash on Saturday morning in qualifying, ruling him out of the rest of the German Grand Prix.

It’s proven costly for his championship ambitions after Aprilia team-mate Jorge Martin was able to extend his lead to 11 points in the sprint, while the likes of Marc Marquez, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Ai Ogura have closed in.

Some Marquez fans took to social media to suggest Bezzecchi’s injury is payback for the collision he had with the Spaniard last October in Indonesia, which left the Ducati rider with a serious shoulder fracture.

Marquez called for calm at the time, and has done so again on Saturday following his sprint win in Germany.

He also renewed calls for MotoGP gravel traps to be altered following Bezzecchi’s crash.

“Karma doesn’t exist,” he began.

“I have read the word ‘karma’ since 2015, for example. And I won six world championships after that. So, if that was karma, then [it’s welcome].

“Karma doesn’t exist, and all the riders are taking a lot of risk out there. And we wish the best for Marco.

“I already posted after the Indonesia crash [telling people] not to push against Marco because these things happen in the races.

“And today happened one thing that we can resolve for the future, because one more time [with] Bezzecchi, Fermin [Aldeguer] in Assen, and me in Indonesia, we got injured going into the gravel because of the step (the lip between the asphalt and the gravel trap).

“So, I hope for a good recovery for Bez. But I hope for the future we can fix that thing.”

“Tomorrow is Ducati’s day”

Marquez won Saturday’s sprint from pole position to close his championship deficit down to 32 points, while leading a Ducati 1-2-3 in the process.

Ducati has had the measure on Aprilia all weekend, and doesn’t expect the Noale brand to pose a threat in the grand prix.

“No, tomorrow is Ducati’s day,” he said when asked if he expected Aprilia to challenge.

“It must be Ducati’s day. Like at Assen, it was Aprilia’s day. Tomorrow must be Ducati’s day. So, let’s see if we can finish the weekend in a good way.”

On why Ducati has been stronger than Aprilia at the Sachsenring, he added: “I mean, what made Aprilia faster than Ducati at Assen?

“Assen, there are many fast corners. Here it’s more stop-and-go, there are less fast corners, where Aprilia normally makes the difference.

“As I said, you cannot have the strongest bike in all of the calendar and all of the corners.

“But I believe, and I’ve kept saying this since the first race, that the Ducati is the best bike for 22 races.

“Just, I cannot take the maximum from the bike in all of the races. But the bike is working well.”