Honda boss Alberto Puig leaps to Marc Marquez defence: “Impossible to avoid” crash
The Repsol Honda rider will miss the Argentina MotoGP after hand surgery caused b🗹y the crash in Portimao, and must face a double long lap penalty upon his com൲eback.
Injured Oliveira will also miss Ar🅺gentina after both he and Jorge Martin had their races ruined by an error that Marquez has admitted to, and apologised for.
Team manager Puig now says: “His intention was no🍒t 💃to overtake. His front wheel locked. After he released the brake? When your front wheel locks, the bike exits like a rocket.
“He was using hard tyres which probably weren’t at the temperℱature, they needed one more lap. This is pro🥀bably the reason for the locking.
“He wasn’t trying to overtake. He wasn’t at the limit𒀰. He was feeling comfortable. The 𒐪bike was good.
“But, you know? All the riders were 🙈reaꦦlly, really together. It was impossible for him to avoid the crash.
“We are sorry for the inciden🍃t. We hope Oliveira is good.
“Of course, no❀body plans these things. We are sorry.🎃”
Pramac Racing rider Martin, who was contacted by Marquez before the Honda rider then clatteꦰred into Oliveira, was not so forgiving.
“It’s not the first time he has destroyed my race,” Martin raged. “Maybe in the future he can manage to 🍎avoid me. Or Race Direction can do so꧟mething.”
Oliveira said about 💙Marquez: “He braked too late, maybe too optimistic about making the pass.”
Aleix Espargaro called for Marquez to face a ban of at least ✤one꧒ race for causing the crash.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to footba🗹ll, to F1.
