Marquez explains Sunday's crash

When Marc Marquez crashed out of the Catalan Grand Prix he was lucky not to take Jorge Lorenzo with him into the gravel trap at turn ten. The Spaniard’s were leading the race at the time of the incident.

Marquez lost the rear under braking with a large slide and had he pulled the bike upwards to recover from it and get back upright. Ultimately he ran out of track and crashed. After the race Marquez explained the crash:

“In practice or qualifying, when I’m riding alone I can go wide or tight when I slide,” said the champion. “When I was behind Lorenzo I braked at the same point but I had the slide and it was so difficult to stop the bike. Then I saw Lorenzo in front and had to decide to go in or go wide. I saw that to go in was too dangerous for both, so I decide to go wide.

“Then I saw the wall was coming really quick and when I entered the gravel I was too fast. The gear lever was damaged and then I stopped. I’m disappointed because we lost many points, but happy on the other side because we did another step. Tomorrow we have an important test but we still need to continue work.”

Sitting up and taking avoiding action is a Marquez speciality and it’s something that Bradley Smith passed comment on afterwards. The Tech3 rider gave his view on Marquez’ style and how he has come so close to crashing into other riders without actually hitting them.

“He always gathers up his problems,” said Smith. “He never takes another rider with him,” he said. “When he has his issues he makes sure he avoids everybody and then he has his problems off the race track. It’s the same thing that we were talking about let’s say Jerez in his first year. The fact that he nearly hit in the back of everyone and everyone said, it’s dangerous. Yes, it is dangerous but if you’re not going to hit the other riders then really it’s nothing to complain about.”

While Marquez said that he avoided Lorenzo and hadn’t tagged the Yamaha’s rear wheel the victor felt a touch at the rear.

” He touched me and I see him very fast,” said Lorenzo. “I supposed it was him or maybe Maverick or Aleix but I didn’t see the colors so much but I just see one rider going very fast and wider. I expected him not to crash, just go in to the gravel recover but I saw in some laps the classification he was not in the first positions so I supposed he was out of the race.

“But I almost crashed. He almost touched me harder and we could be out of the race both. Luckily for me it just was a little touch. Unfortunately he was out of the race. For us it’s good but for him obviously it’s not good for the championship. Luckily I was in the race and I could keep on the track.”

The crash left Marquez 69 points adrift in the championship and with Lorenzo winning the race he has closed the gap to Valentino Rossi to one point at the head of the standings.