Alex Marquez penalised for Motegi MotoGP Sprint pile-up
Alex Marquez punished for first lap accident involving Pedro Acosta and Fabio di Giannantonio.
Alex Marquez will need to serve a double long lap penalty in Sunday’s Japanese MotoGP for causing a multi-rider accident on the opening lap of the Motegi Sprint.
The Gresini rider clipped the back of KTM's front-row qualifier Pedro Acosta into Turn 3.
Marquez and Acosta fell due to the impact, with Fabio di Giannantonio then taken down in the aftermath. Diggia was later seen walking into a waiting ambulance.
A penalty notice for Alex Marquez from the FIM Stewards read:
'On 3rd October 2026 at 15:02:42 during the MotoGP™ Sprint of the MOTUL GRAND PRIX OF JAPAN at Turn 3 you caused a crash, involving rider #37 ACOSTA and #49 DI GIANNANTONIO.'
Penalty Explanation
'Following the Penalty Protocols issued to teams, this action was deemed to be an incident of Type MGP-CC5: START OF THE RACE / OPENING LAP. Actions that create a dangerous situation for multiple riders and/or causing a crash. As a first offence of the season, the appropriate penalty in this case is a Double Long Lap Penalty'.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
