A livid Joan Mir stated he “wants” an apology from MotoGP rival Alex Marquez after their “loopy” high-speed crash within the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.
Marquez and Mir twisted up at pace going via the quick left-hander Flip 12 on the opening lap, with the previous going into the barrier and the previous’s bike getting caught on Mir’s Honda as Mir rolled into the gravel to return to a halt and crash.
With each riders having retired on the spot, the incident is topic to a post-race investigation.
❌ @JoanMirOfficial and @alexmarquez73 are OUT!
The incident is presently underneath investigation 👀#JapaneseGP 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/s0DHGofERn
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 6, 2024
“Flip 11 I overtook Alex Marquez – he went extensive and I took the chance to overhaul him,” stated Mir.
“Then we modified route and once I was in the midst of the nook 12, he hit me however massively on the again.
“His bike obtained caught between my seat and my swingarm and I went straight to the gravel.
“Unbelievable, loopy what occurred.
“I believe I want an apology, while you destroy the race of somebody I need you to make an apology… in the event you actually really feel it.”
Mir went on to counsel the youthful Marquez was a repeat offender, drawing a parallel – but additionally a distinction – with the collision Marquez had had with Pecco Bagnaia within the podium battle at Aragon.
“It is regular that I’m indignant, it’s not the primary time one thing like this occurs with him.
“The motion is one thing comparable as in Aragon with Pecco, it’s not precisely the identical as a result of I used to be clearly in entrance. Pecco was making an attempt to overhaul however I used to be clearly in entrance, however his bike obtained caught in the identical place.
“Loopy, loopy.”
Mir was additionally incensed by a perceived inaction by the MotoGP stewards’ panel, accusing the stewards of being “asleep” – though he gave the impression to be underneath the mistaken impression a no-further-action ruling had already been made. On the time he spoke no verdict had really been returned and Marquez had solely simply been introduced in for a listening to.
Marquez was finally assessed a long-lap penalty, set to be served subsequent outing at Phillip Island within the grand prix race, for “driving an irresponsible method inflicting a crash”.
Within the meantime, Marquez’s post-race session with print media was cancelled.
In a quote issued to the press, Marquez stated he has now apologised to Mir but additionally expressed his discontent with the long-lap penalty – pointing to Jack Miller going unpenalised the week earlier than.
“Seven days in the past, one other rider hit me the identical manner and nothing occurred,” he stated. “This reveals that guidelines don’t apply the identical strategy to all people, however it’s what it’s.”
