Bautista: Marquez's pass was too risky

Alvaro Bautista's Aprilia MotoGP debut lasted just a few corners before contact with reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez fatally damaged his RS-GP.

Marquez had run wide at the first turn and was carving his way back through the pack when he made the 'aggressive' move.

"Unfortunately the race test that we had planned ended straight away: Marquez got off to a bad start and he wanted to make up positions quickly, but without considering the fact that there were other riders on the track," Bautista said.

"In turn 6 he squeezed between Barbera and me, I have no idea how, hitting me and ruining the front brake area, lines and sensors. It was impossible to continue. I'm sorry because Marc is a good guy, but he has been too aggressive in the past in these types of situations. I think it is only right to point it out to him because it's risky. Today I was lucky because I didn't crash, but it doesn't take much to get hurt out there.

"So, like I said, we weren't able to complete our test today but we must not forget this episode and we need to be thinking about the next round in Austin already. It is a very different track than this one where we'll have the opportunity to check all the data gathered this weekend to develop the bike and look for ways to improve."

Team-mate Marco Melandri finished the race in 21st, ahead of only Loris Baz, who suffered technical problems.

"It wasn't the fastest race of my life, but on a new bike in a new category it's what we expected," said the Italian. "On the other hand, we finished the race, our first true long run, and we gathered a lot of data that will be essential to our development process.

"We need time. When the bike starts working well my riding style will also improve and we'll be able to take a decisive step. Now it's up to the guys at Aprilia to interpret my sensations and translate them into changes to the RS-GP."

Losail was Aprilia's first race as a factory MotoGP entry since 2004.