Marc Marquez has explained why he was forced to remove the visor teaꦜr-off that ultimately led to his terrible start that almost cost him victory at the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix.

The Gres🌟ini rider got massive wheelspin off the line at the start of the 27-lap Phillip Island grand prix, dropping him down the order like a stone.

Having qualifi𝓀ed second, Marquez looked to head into Turn 1 as low as 13th on his GP23 but would quickly fight his way back up to sixth.

Marquezꦉ ultimately went on to challenge long-time race leader Jorge Martin and beat the Pramac rider in♏ a thrilling duel.

In parc ferme, Marquez explained that he norm൲ally never removes a visor tear-off on the gri🧔d “because it is dangerous”.

But “something super-big” splatted on his visor as he w🥃as lining up on the grid and forced him to quickly get rid of the tear-off, which then got stuck underneath his rear tyre as he discarded it.

This is wha♕t led to his massive wheelspin off the line and nearl💎y cost him his third grand prix win of the season.

Marquez told TNT Sports: "There was a big insecꦗt! A big oneꦅ. On the film on the visor.

"I 𓆉couldn't see, and I would've arrived at the first corner without seeing."

Marquez eꦐxclaimed immed🍒iately after the race: "Always something happens!

“I never pull the tear-of🔯f at the start because it is dangerous.

“But this time, as I put the holeshot of the bike [on], something w🤡as super-big [in front of m🌠y eyes].

“I didn’t have a chance [to th💯ink]. I took it off.

“Unlu🃏ckily it went under my wheel. I saw it, I tried to remove it but it was impossible.

“When I released the clutch it started to spin.

“I don’𒁏t know where I was at the first corner but I overtook many riders.

"I thought it was impossible to catch Ma♎rtin, then on lap five or six I was more calm. I was saving the tyre to have the last attack.”

Marquez explained that there is a gentleman’✃s agreement in place among the riders to limit dropping vi🐭sor tear-offs on the grid on safety grounds.

One of the most famous examples of discarded tear-offs causing problems came at Misano in 2🐭020 when Jack Miller’s Ducati sucked up Fabio Quartararo’s tear-off and it ended the Australian’s race.

“In the end it was my fault, because it’s not a rule but with the riders we speak together to try to avoid removing the tear-off on the grid✤, for you and also for the others,” he explained.

“But this time I didn’t have a choice.”

'Rookie error' to 'best win' on a Ducati

TNT Sports’ Michael Laverty considered that Marquez was the victim of an insect flying into his visor on th🔴e starting♈ grid.

“Normally i🐠f there’s a fly, as you come off the grid you’ll pull the tear-off, so🦹 it’s behind the grid,” Laverty said.

“He was activating his l🌸owering device on the front end of 𝓰the machine. He rolled up to his spot and wanted to dispose of the fly.

“He took the tear-off off and unfortunately the wind blew it🌳 under his bike.

“You♋ are trying to activate 300-brake horsepower over a slippery plastic film♏…

“He controlled it so well.”

Laverty added: “He didn’t ge🐽🍎t his tear-off off as he ran up to the grid.

“He dropped it under his bike which was a bit of a rookie error. It was♏ due to activating the lower device.

“I don’t know how he managed to get through his battle with Enea Bastianꦫini on Lap 1.

“He was relentless through the꧂ field, j𓃲ust so strong.

“The race-winning overtake💝 was fro꧑m downtown. He sent it up the inside, and sent Jorge a little wide. Then put three strong laps on to eke out a gap.

“He🐭 was the comfortable victor. What a comebac♍k ride - his best yet on a Ducati.”

M🌃arquez’s decisive move came on lap 25 of 27 when he launched a daring raid on the insideꦰ of Martin into Turn 4, forcing the Pramac rider slightly wide.

His Australian GP win is his first at Phillip Island since 2019 and marks the fir🧜st time since 2021 that he has scored three grand prix victories in a season.

With Enea Bastianini a distant fifth at the chequered flag, Marquez is now 14 points clear of the factory Ducati𒈔 rider in thi▨rd in the standings.