Marquez and MotoGP observe Mandalika at odds over bike hearth harm

The Mandalika circuit has issued a press release to The Race denying Marc Marquez’s claims that the usage of a flawed sort of extinguisher led to his Gresini Ducati MotoGP bike struggling catastrophic hearth harm eventually weekend’s Indonesian Grand Prix.

The six-time MotoGP world champion was chasing after reigning champion Pecco Bagnaia within the group battling for a podium when his bike expired, inflicting him to tug over to the facet of the observe simply because it burst into flames.

Marquez mentioned in his media scrum afterwards that what ought to have been a comparatively simple firefighting mission was one thing that left the group with a considerable restore invoice.

“There was a giant noise on the bike and in addition the engine stopped,” Marquez defined. “However after I noticed the white smoke, instantly I checked, and yeah…

“It was additionally a disgrace as a result of the extinguishers, those that they’ve right here should not the right ones, and the bike was fully broken.

“All the pieces. The brakes and the whole lot. It’s a disgrace for the group as a result of for a non-public group it’s a giant value.

“One of many issues is that the extinguishers should be the right ones, the latest-technology ones in each observe as a result of in any other case you destroy the bike.”

In line with The Race’s sources inside the Gresini group, the bike has been deemed a partial write-off, with the total extent of the harm nonetheless to be assessed this weekend on the Japanese Grand Prix however the group believing that doubtlessly solely the body might be salvageable from what stays.

Nonetheless, Marquez’s claims had been strongly refuted in a press release issued to The Race by the Mandalika circuit, with circuit director Priandhi Satria adamant that the extinguishers issued to trackside marshals had been as specified by governing physique FIM and organiser Dorna after they homologated the observe.

“The usage of hearth extinguishers at MotoGP Indonesia at Pertamina Mandalika Worldwide Circuit is in accordance with the relevant racing rules,” he insisted.

“Pertamina Mandalika Worldwide Circuit has met the FIM rules to conduct MotoGP racing actions and has acquired Grade A homologation on Thursday, September 29, 2024.”

That was backed up by Eddy Saputra, deputy of motorbike sports activities on the Indonesian Motor Affiliation, who says that contact has been made with Marquez’s Gresini group to appropriate the file.

“If a bike catches hearth on the observe,” he mentioned within the circuit assertion, “the marshals will routinely spray it with powder or foam APAR [extinguishers].

“Due to this fact, there may be nothing flawed with the marshals and Pertamina Mandalika Worldwide Circuit.

“Within the case of Marquez’s motorbike catching hearth, the race director and security officer on obligation have additionally contacted the Gresini group to inquire about their complaints and concurrently clarify this process.

“They don’t seem to be a brand new group in MotoGP, so that they should be very accustomed to the procedures issued by FIM.

“Marc Marquez, as a rider from the Gresini group, could also be very involved concerning the monetary components of the group he’s beneath, contemplating the excessive prices the group will incur to restore his motorbike. Accidents are unavoidable.”

Regardless of dropping out on the potential to combat for the rostrum, Marquez was fast to shrug off the DNF, stressing that he and his group – and the producer that provides the bikes – win and lose collectively.

“It’s true that it’s one thing that’s not in our fingers,” he mentioned, “even not within the fingers of our group, nevertheless it generally occurs within the races and right now it occurred to me.

“We will say that we had been tremendous unfortunate, however with Ducati and my group and me, we win collectively so we lose collectively.

“Immediately we had that drawback, however throughout the weekend the sensation was good in order that’s an important factor.”