Marquez reveals airbag triggered by controversial Bezzecchi crash
Bezzecchi collided with Marquez (Credit: Red Bull Content Pool)
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Connor Andrews is Formula 1 and MotoGP writer for GPblog and various outlets. Having worked in motorsport for 15 years for leading companies, he has interviewed the sports biggest names and attended multiple Grands Prix.
Marc Marquez and Aprilia have traded early but subtle blows over the Ducati rider’s crash with Marco Bezzecchi.
Marquez and Bezzecchi were battling for the lead at the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint Race on lap 4 when Marquez went wide into Turn 1 and ‘Bez’ saw his opportunity.
The Italian dived down the inside, but as Marquez switched back onto the racing line, the pair hit each other and the sizable impact left Bezzecchi sliding out.
Marquez went on to win the race, and his 12 points compared to Bezzecchi’s zero means that the Italian’s championship hopes are now over.
Speaking straight after the Sprint win, Marquez said Bezzecchi hit him so hard that his racing suit airbag was activated.
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Marquez reveals airbag deployed during Bezzecchi collision
He explained: “I was super concentrated and defended in the best way possible.
“At Turn 1 when I had the impact even my airbag deployed, for that reason Jorge [Martin] attacked me because I couldn’t ride in the normal way.”
He added: “It was a strange sprint race, especially with the red flag, we hope that Pecco’s [Bagnaia who crashed on lap 1] OK because it was a nasty crash.
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“Apart from that everything was fine, perfect, when I opened a gap I tried to control the race.”
Aprilia boss reacts sarcastically as stewards take no action
With Marquez in the lead for the closing stages, a message from the race stewards arrived, announcing that neither Bezzecchi nor Marquez would face any punishment for the crash.
The cameras then quickly switched to Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola, who clapped sarcastically and shook his head at the decision.
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