Alex Marquez Crashes Out of the Japanese Grand Prix
Alex Marquez crashed out of the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi after inadvertently upshifting his Ducati up a corner, ending a weekend that yielded no points, a performance he describes as “unacceptable.”
Mis-shift Missteps and Multiple Incidents
The Gresini rider’s trouble started in Saturday’s sprint, where a misjudged brake at Turn 3 sent Pedro Acosta and Fabio di Giannantonio into a collision and earned Marquez a double long‑lap penalty. Even after serving the penalty twice, he was still in eighth before the lap 19 crash finished his race.
It was only the second Sunday knock‑down for the 30‑year‑old; a fall in the warm‑up had already shown signs of bad luck on the hard tyre. Marquez later explained that his errors were due to shifting in the wrong direction, leaving the bike one gear higher than needed for Turn 11, producing a push‑back that caused the crashes.
He admitted, “When you put the foot there with a lot of banking, the bike pushes and you crash because it’s in the wrong gear.” The rider expressed anger at himself, noting that “you can’t make these mistakes, especially not twice in one day.”
Long‑Lap Penalties and MotoGP Standards
Marquez called for MotoGP to standardize long‑lap penalties, arguing that Motegi’s punishment was harsher than at other circuits. “In Brno, the loss is smaller; here the Motegi long lap feels like four of Brno’s,” he said. “Long‑lap penalties on the track are cleaner, with no potholes or drainage grates.”
He added that the family’s weekend was tinged with disappointment, citing the pace he had shown in practice and the contrast with his brother Marc’s factory Ducati victory. “Whenever you make a mistake, it’s disappointing, no matter the position,” Marquez commented.
The Italian‑made machine’s mis-shifts also highlighted the critical importance of precise gear selection for high-speed cornering and the vulnerability it creates when the rider’s floor or chip is not where it should be.
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