Marc Márquez blames Bezzecchi for the contact

Marc Márquez called the contact with Bezzecchi an “error by Bezzecchi”. The Ducati rider gave his view of the incident to DAZN after winning the Sprint at the Qatar Grand Prix in Lusail, a result that left him happy.

A red flag shaped the race. Márquez said it “changed everyone’s plans”; some riders even changed their tyres. He felt very comfortable in the first race and believed Bezzecchi, who was setting the pace, would have beaten him because he had more speed. In the second, Márquez said he got into the lead at the start and defended his position to stay in front for as many laps as possible. “These 12 points are very important,” he said.

Márquez also described being surprised to find Bezzecchi on the inside and nearly crashing after the contact. He said he rode several corners with his airbag deployed before calming down when he saw Martín attacking. That changed his focus: “I had to finish ahead of him, no matter what,” Márquez explained. He then tried to build a gap and hold it.

The Sprint result gives that battle immediate significance: Márquez won in Lusail, with Jorge Martín finishing third. The reigning champion remains cautious about clinching the title in Qatar on Sunday. To do so, he must win and Jorge Martín must score no points.

Márquez expects Martín to be in contention in the race, while describing Bezzecchi as clearly the fastest. He also named Di Giannantonio among the riders in good form. After Bezzecchi’s error, his main objective is to finish ahead of Martín, even if the difference is only one place.

Márquez does not regard the title as settled before Sunday. “Tomorrow, 25 points would not be realistic,” he acknowledged, while adding that he would start the race without ruling anything out. He wants to wrap up the championship as soon as possible, but considers the Sprint’s 12 points a favourable outcome rather than a reward for having the pace to earn them under ordinary circumstances.