MotoGP: Repsol Honda appeals Marc Marquez’s penalty change

Repsol Honda will appeal Marc Marquez’s penalty ‘modification’ from the FIM stewards.

The Portimao penalty saga continues, with Repsol Honda appealing the FIM’s decision to modify Marc Marquez’s penalty. This appeal comes days after the FIM reworded Marquez’s original penalty to clarify the situation.

The penalty was given to Marc Marquez in the first round of the MotoGP World Championship at Portimao. Marquez was involved in an incident in which the FIM stewards gave him a double-long lap penalty for Argentina.

However, Marquez was injured in the incident and will miss the race in Argentina, after requiring surgery on his right hand. This meant that confusion surrounding the penalty arose, with the penalty as it stated that it was only for the Argentina Grand Prix. Since the eight-time World Champion was missing the race, this meant that he would not have to complete any penalty

The FIM stewards have since reworded the penalty to “the next MotoGP race in which he will be able to participate.” This modification is what the Repsol Honda team is appealing, believing that it is against the regulations.

Why did Marquez receive a penalty?

The incident happened on lap three of the Portuguese Grand Prix where Marquez locked the front tyre at turn three. In fourth position, Marquez hit the side of Jorge Martin’s Ducati and Miguel Oliveira. This crash would take both himself and the home rider, Miguel Oliveira, out of the race.

All three riders were injured in the crash, with Marquez breaking the first metacarpal of his right hand. Miguel Oliveira suffered from ligament damage In his hip, and Jorge Martin suffered from a broken toe.

“In relation to the sanction imposed by the FIM on Marc Marquez for the race incident that occurred at the Portuguese Grand Prix, the Repsol Honda Team considers that the modification of the penalty consisted of a change of criteria on when the penalty should be applied, and that this modification was issued by the FIM two days after the initial sanction was final and definitive, is not in line with the current regulations of the FIM for the MotoGP World Championship. 

“For this reason, the Repsol Honda Team intends to use all the means of recourse offered by the regulations in force to defend its rights and legitimate interests, which it considers violated as a result of the latest resolution adopted, and in particular has duly submitted an Appeal before the FIM Appeal Stewards.”

Should the appeal get rejected then Honda has the option to appeal to the MotoGP Court of Appeal. This would mean appealing to a body in the FIM headquarters, located in Switzerland.

Image credit: Repsol Media