Marco Bezzecchi says he is still in a “lot of pain” as he returned to the MotoGP paddock at the Australian Grand Prix and explained the crash that took both him and Marc Marquez out of the Indonesian race.
Having made a poor launch from pole position and tumbling down the order, Bezzecchi tangled with the factory Ducati of Marquez at Turn 7 in a rough opening lap at the Indonesian Grand Prix.
The incident left the world champion with a fracture on his right shoulder, while Bezzecchi himself had to visit a local hospital for scans, but was later cleared of any serious injury.
Following a hearing on Thursday morning, the Aprilia rider was handed a double long lap penalty for the Australian GP, with the stewards deeming that he rode “irresponsibly” and “caused danger” to other riders.
In his first public appearance since the crash, Bezzecchi admitted that the crash was caused by him carrying too much speed into the corner and accepted the stewards’ verdict.
“I didn't want to try any overtake,” he clarified. “I picked up because I was tighter in that corner, but I didn't expect him to brake so much at the end. He did the corner like this.
“It was my mistake, I was behind him. Misjudgment. Mistake. I was a bit too fast.
"So I tried to brake, pick up the bike to brake stronger, and fortunately I hit the rear end of his bike just a little bit , so it was just sliding.”
Bezzecchi also highlighted the unusual ‘step’ in the gravel trap, which Gresini rider Alex Marquez blamed for his brother’s injury.
“The problem was outside the track, the gravel, the step was like this,” the British GP winner explained. “If not, the consequence could be much, much less for him, and also for me, the gravel destroyed my body."
Asked if the organisers should replace gravel with an asphalt run-off at Turn 7, he replied: "I don't know, ask them. Because when we speak, they always say that the riders ask for the gravel. I have no idea. But maybe, for sure, they will make some improvement after this."
Bezzecchi “couldn’t breathe” after crash
Bezzecchi initially remained upright following his contact with Marquez, but was then launched into a series of barrel rolls as he ran deep into the gravel trap.
Recounting the frightening experience in detail, the 26-year-old revealed that the impact had briefly left him struggling to breathe.
“I was always conscious. I stayed down, because for the hit, especially in my back, I couldn't breathe,” he recalled.
“So I stayed there, trying to wait for the moment that the breath came back. I don't know if you ever hit your ribs or your back, you can understand how the feeling was. Multiplicated for thousands."
Bezzecchi added that he “feels good” as he arrives in Australia, but is still in “a lot of pain, especially in my back from how [severe] the crash was."
He added: "I cannot start with a ‘not good’ mood because of this [penalty and fitness]. I have to give my best, try to achieve the best that I can on Sunday, but also on Saturday and on Friday.
“Hopefully, my body will react well day by day, because this track is super quick and quite demanding physically, but the temperature will help, because it's a bit cold.
It's not good for the pain, but for the resistance and consistency of the body. I just try to work as much as I can to take out the best from the weekend."
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