Marco Bezzecchi, the Aprilia Racing rider, has issued a public apology after being suspended from the Czech Grand Prix for hitting a track marshal during his race on Saturday.
The MotoGP points leader sparked controversy after a video showed an altercation with a marshal following his crash on the penultimate lap of the race. At the time of the incident, Bezzecchi was heading towards his motorcycle, which was being recovered by the marshals, when one of them accidentally started the engine.
This gesture provoked Bezzecchi’s irritation, who reacted by pushing and hitting the marshal in a moment of tension. After the race, the stewards summoned him for a hearing, which ended with his suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct during Sunday’s competition.
The appeal filed by the Aprilia team on Saturday afternoon was also rejected, with the stewards highlighting that, despite the intense emotions riders may experience after an incident, this cannot justify physical aggression against track personnel.
The next morning, Bezzecchi made his first statement about the incident, acknowledging that there are no excuses for his behavior. “I want to apologize to the entire MotoGP community for my actions towards the track marshal. I am also regretful because I know the effort and sacrifice that marshals make to ensure our safety. This behavior should not occur and has no justification,” he commented.
With Bezzecchi absent, the Aprilia team will compete in the Czech GP only with their other rider, Jorge Martín. In addition, the suspension could cost him the points lead, as his advantage over Martín has been reduced to just 15 points.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
