MotoGP: Marc Marquez's amended penalty appealed by Honda, as team say their rights have been 'violated'
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Published 29/03/2023 at 17:08 GMT
Marc Marquez will miss this weekend’s race in Argentina after undergoing surgery for a fractured thumb, but MotoGP has said it would carry forward a penalty to the next race he enters. Marquez collided into RNF Racing's Miguel Oliveira at his home Portuguese Grand Prix on Sunday and was to be punished by way of a double long lap penalty for this weekend’s race in Buenos Aires.
Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda) durante el GP de Portimao.
Image credit: Getty Images
Honda have announced they have filed an appeal to the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) over the penalty given to Marc Marquez after his crash with Miguel Oliveira in the season-opening MotoGP race in Portugal.
Marquez collided into RNF Racing’s Oliveira, who was in second in the opening stages of his home Portuguese Grand Prix on Sunday.
Marquez subsequently apologised for the incident and was to be sanctioned by way of a double long lap penalty for this weekend’s race in Argentina.
However, Marquez has had to undergo surgery for a fractured thumb, which rules him out of the second round in Buenos Aires.
MotoGP has instead said that it would carry forward Marquez's penalty to the next race he enters.
"The modification of the penalty consisted of a change of criteria on when the penalty should be applied," Honda said in a statement.
"... that this modification was issued by the FIM two days after the initial sanction was final and definitive, is not in line with the current regulations of the FIM for the MotoGP World Championship.
"The Repsol Honda Team intends to use all the means of recourse ... to defend its rights and legitimate interests, which it considers violated as a result of the latest resolution adopted, and in particular has duly submitted an appeal before the FIM Appeal Stewards."
Marquez came into the season pessimistic about his Honda team’s chances, saying he didn’t think they would close the gap to reigning world champion Pecco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo.
However, the Spaniard did cause a bit of a surprise when he took a shock pole at Portimao, although he was powerless to stop Bagnaia’s dominance continue as the Italian triumphed in the race proper as well as the sprint race.
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