Marc Marquez brushed Fabio Di Giannantonio’s left foot with his right knee at the Mandalika sprint’s first corner, a move that fanned a four‑bike collision and left Raul Fernandez stranded in fourth.
Both Ducati teammates bunched toward the inside line, with Di Giannantonio bracing at the extreme interior and Marquez braking alongside. A brief contact forced Di Giannantonio into first gear, as he explained in a post‑race interview, and the knock‑on sent Bezzecchi and Fernandez spiralling.
Mandalika Sprint: First Corner Clash
Di Giannantonio said the blow was the only thing that compromised his exit, stating, “I was on the rev limiter in first gear. You have to ask the others.” How the four riders lined up—Di Giannantonio on the whole inside, Marquez looking slightly ahead, and Bezzecchi and Fernandez on the outer third—created a tight weave that left little margin for error.
Reactions From the Riders
Marquez, in his own words, called the moment a result of “too many riders scrapping to win the corner” combined with “braking misjudgments.” Bezzecchi, after the race, blamed the incident on a flawed braking strategy, while Fernández was quick to shift blame onto Bezzecchi.
Despite the chaos, Di Giannantonio declared there were no regrets about pushing for the start, saying, “We’re here for racing. So, theoretically, the guy that is in front wins. You always try to be in front.”
Implications for the Main Race
The sprint’s first corner drama foreshadowed a main event with almost no genuine overtaking, as the Ducati pair’s aggressive opening move proved costly for the rest of the pack and left riders scrambling for position.
Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team, remains focused on the race ahead—an attitude that underscores the relentless pursuit of seconds on the Mandalika track.
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