The eight-time world champion surprised as he dragged his Honda Repsol to pole place on Saturday, with the assistance of a tow from Enea Bastianini, then snatched a podium on the ultimate lap of MotoGP’s first-ever Dash race.
However with Marquez on target to problem for an additional grandstand on Sunday, he made a “massive mistake” beneath braking on lap 3 – clipping Jorge Martin after which crashing into the aspect of homegrown star Miguel Oliveira.
Marquez and Oliveira will each miss this weekend’s Argentine spherical because of accidents, whereas Martin – whose possibilities of victory had been additionally ruined – suffered a foot harm.
Though Marquez accepted the double lengthy lap penalty issued by the FIM Stewards, the wording of the penalty steered it might solely apply to Argentina.
The information that Marquez can be missed in Argentina then prompted a brand new assertion from the FIM (now disputed by Repsol Honda) stating that Marquez must full his double lap on the subsequent occasion he competes in.
“Marquez was on a mission all weekend,” mentioned former Grand Prix podium and British champion Huewen. “When he caught the Honda in pole place, my eyes had been as huge as saucers.
“He is a superb driver and he might have gotten away with some wonderful issues up to now, however I simply marvel if he is misplaced a tiny little bit of that magic?
“However Marc Marquez is ruthless. He’ll do no matter it takes to get the place he must be. That is what scares Marc a bit. And that is what retains everybody round him nervous.
“Marc is aware of the Honda is not the very best bike on the market and he is proven no disgrace in relation to doing issues that individuals would possibly name nasty, like being dragged (by a trailer) in {qualifications}.
“The incident with Oliveira was 100% a penalty. He was already uncontrolled on the primary lap. It simply appeared to me that he had just a little bother with the entrance finish, then he got here in just a little sizzling and couldn’t cut back the velocity.
“As soon as you have gone additional up the monitor than you must, you possibly can’t decelerate since you’re already utilizing absolutely the most of braking grip.
“Was the penalty he acquired sufficient? I do not suppose it is going to change something anyway. I believe we’re in the identical scenario with these guys now, as we had been with Moto3 a couple of years in the past.
“You possibly can penalize them; you may give them lengthy laps, you possibly can run them out of the pit lane. It will not make any distinction at this level. The bikes are so shut now that everybody is aware of what they should do in these early laps to provide themselves an opportunity later.
Crash.internet MotoGP editor Pete McLaren, who was current in Portimao, mentioned:
“Marquez regarded shocked when he spoke to the media after the Oliveira incident, not solely as a result of he injured one other runner via his personal ‘massive mistake’, but additionally presumably as a result of he missed a golden alternative.
“With out this incident, Marquez might simply have left Portimao in second place within the World Championship – who would have imagined that earlier than the weekend?
“As a substitute, after a podium end within the Dash, he’s already 30 factors behind Bagnaia and can now miss a race weekend with an harm to the fourth season in a row. This might probably value him an additional 37 factors, plus no matter COTA penalties would value him.
Marquez and Oliveira be part of Bastianini and Pol Espargaro on the record of harm absentees for the second spherical.
“I really feel like we’re a bit overreacting in relation to the weekend in Portugal as an entire,” Huewen mentioned. “Everybody was nervous, everybody was going. Portugal is a tough circuit. The wind had additionally modified on Sunday, which brings one other ingredient. You’ve extra gasoline than you had for the Dash race.
“I really feel it may settle down, however perhaps not till we get again to Europe. Argentina this weekend is on a monitor with none testing and it is normally soiled initially of the weekend, then improves with every session. So that is going to be one other tough one.
Huewen, McLaren and podcast host Harry Benjamin additionally focus on the protection of the Dash race format, different riders to shine at Portimao, Moto2 and Moto3, in addition to predictions for this weekend’s occasion in Argentina .
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