MotoGP News: Marc Marquez Responds To Clash With Stefan Bradl During Saturday Qualifying

Alex Harrington | Jul 7, 2024

Apr 16, 2023; Austin, TX, USA; Stefan Bradl (6) of Germany and Repsol Honda Team picks up speed behind Augusto Fernandez (37) of Spain and GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 on the front straightaway during the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas on Sunday at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports / Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports

Amidst the intense competition of the German MotoGP at Sachsenring, a qualifying round skirmish between Marc Marquez and Stefan Bradl captured significant attention. During the crucial moments of Saturday's session, Marquez was compelled to abort his final lap, effectively squandering his last shot at entering Q2. This disruption occurred as a result of Bradl, who was riding slowly on the racing line. The incident led to a three-place grid penalty for Bradl for "riding slow on line and disturbing another rider #93.”

Shortly following the incident, Stefan Bradl approached Marquez to offer his apologies. Initially, Marquez’s reaction was less than receptive; a dismissive shrug indicated his frustration. Yet, his tone shifted during a later interview with DAZN. Marc Marquez displayed a considerable degree of empathy towards Bradl's mistake, stating:

"He didn't do it intentionally, and then he came to apologize." He further clarified his stance on any further sanctions again Bradl. "I have told the team, there is no need to sanction him, he is already behind.

"This happens, it is a very small circuit."

The encounter with Bradl was merely one aspect of a challenging weekend for Marquez, who was also battling the aftermath of a previous day's crash. The Friday incident left him with a broken finger and substantial rib pain, yet he managed to rally impressively in Saturday's sprint, climbing from 13th to 6th place. Despite these heroic efforts, there remained concerns about how his compromised physical condition might affect his performance in Sunday's more demanding race.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, Stefan Bradl, who was involved in the clash, isn't a regular on the race circuit; he serves primarily as Honda’s test rider and joined the event as a wildcard.

Marquez also hinted at equipment challenges that could play into the weekend's difficulties, mentioning issues from the start of the race:

"I had a problem with the bike in the previous start and I couldn't trust what it would do.”