Marco Bezzecchi: Penalty after collision with Márquez
Around two weeks after the controversial collision between Marco Bezzecchi and Marc Márquez in Indonesia, the sporting consequences have now been decided. As Bezzecchi went to hospital immediately after the race, the hearing with the stewards could not take place on site and was postponed until Thursday of the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
During this hearing, the stewards decided on a double long lap penalty for Bezzecchi in the next race, most likely at Phillip Island. The reason: he is accused of an MGPCC5 type offense. This category covers rule violations at the start or on the first lap of the race. Bezzecchi had already collided with the rear of Fabio Quartararo’s Yamaha in the first corner in Argentina in 2025, receiving a warning at the time. As this is now his second offense of this type, the penalty was correspondingly harsher.
Bezzecchi himself stated that the accident with Márquez was the result of a misjudgment. Due to a slip, he ended up on a tighter line and misjudged the situation when he tried to get behind Márquez. According to Bezzecchi, it was not a planned overtaking maneuver, but an unfortunate incident. Bezzecchi is not yet physically fit and complains in particular of back pain after crashing into the gravel trap. He says that the upcoming race weekend will be a challenge for him, as his physical discomfort coincides with the additional penalty.
Marc Márquez: Serious injury, prolonged downtime
The consequences of the incident are even more serious for Marc Márquez. In the collision, the now seven-time MotoGP world champion suffered a ligament injury and a fracture of the coracoid process in his right shoulder. Initially, the doctors opted for conservative treatment without surgery. However, after the shoulder did not heal as hoped, surgery was ultimately necessary.
Márquez will therefore miss not only the Australian Grand Prix, but also the following race in Malaysia. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to compete in the season finale in Valencia. This would be particularly important for Márquez, as the first test for the 2026 MotoGP season is scheduled to take place there. The treating specialist, Dr. Pedro Luis Ripoll from Madrid, estimates that full recovery will take around 16 weeks (approximately four months). This means that Márquez could be fully fit again at the earliest at the end of January 2026 – shortly before the winter tests in Sepang.
Test rider Michele Pirro will initially take Márquez’s place. However, other Superbike specialists could be called upon for the final races of the season in Portimão and Valencia.
Injury woes and comebacks in the rider field
Márquez and Bezzecchi are not the only ones currently struggling with health problems. Lorenzo Savadori is once again stepping in for the injured rider at Aprilia, who is still working on his comeback after breaking his collarbone. Intensive rehabilitation measures, most recently at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center in Salzburg, are intended to speed up his return.
Ai Ogura is also back after his hand injury in Misano and will test at the Australian Grand Prix to see if a full race weekend is possible again.
Transfer market: Last MotoGP spot for Diogo Moreira
Finally, there was a final decision on the transfer market: the last available spot for the 2025 MotoGP season goes to Diogo Moreira, who will compete for LCR Honda in the future. His contract with Honda is initially for three years. If Moreira performs well, a possible promotion to the factory team for 2027 or 2028 is considered an option.
