MotoGP is back, and boy, is it with a bang. The 2023 Portuguese GP not only marked a new chapter in the world championship (thanks to the sprint race) but also gave us plenty of talking points. The one ranked highest among these is Marc Marquez’s horrific collision with Miguel Oliveira–an incident that took both riders out of contention in the early laps. It also resulted in a double-long-lap penalty for Marquez (a reprimand for dangerous riding), alongside truckloads of criticism (read abuse) from the fans. But is this collision as big a deal as it’s been made of? Well, here’s a hard-to-digest explanation.
Why Marquez’s Collision With Oliveira Is NOT A Big Deal
MotoGP, just like all motor racing championships, is a risky sport. There are several variables–some in and some out of the rider’s control–which is why crashes become quite common. And when you race in close quarters, i.e. opening laps, there’s a high chance these crashes will ruin someone else’s race. In fact, taking another rider out is not uncommon by any measure, and all your favorites - be it Valentino Rossi, Jack Miller, Casey Stoner - have done it at some point in their careers.
A similar incident happened in Saturday’s sprint race as well, when Luca Marini wiped out factory Ducati rider Enea Bastianini–a crash that broke the latter’s shoulder. In case you still don’t get the point, just remember Jerez 2011 where Rossi took out Casey Stoner in a desperate overtake attempt. Now, we’re not saying any of this is “acceptable”, but it is surely not something out of the ordinary. Or an incident that deserves such strong criticism (read abuse) against the Honda rider.
Why Marquez’s Collision With Oliveira Is A Big Deal
According to Marquez's media debrief, the incident occurred because of the low front tire temperature. The front locked up, so the #93 had to pick up the motorcycle which resulted in the collision. What makes this unacceptable, though, is Marquez’s experience in the field. Had this been a rookie - with no prior experience with MotoGP tires (temperatures, grip, control) - it would’ve made sense, but someone who’s been doing this for upwards of a decade (and has six world titles) should without doubt know better. Plus, considering 2023 is Marquez’s first season (since 2020) with no major injuries, we certainly expected more maturity and a focus on consistency rather than such desperate, rookie mistakes.
Besides all this, Marquez came out as the biggest loser here. He not only lost 25 crucial points, hurt another rider, and got a penalty, but he also fractured his arm, which will force him out of the next race. This doesn’t bode well for his already dented image as one of the most reckless riders on the grid either. Nevertheless, we hope he recovers and returns to the grid quickly, hopefully with a more mature mindset.