Marc Márquez finished seventh at the Dutch Grand Prix on 18 Jun, after a late-race clash with Fabio di Giannantonio.

What happened?

The incident occurred when di Giannantonio launched an attack on Márquez, who was defending fourth position, and the two riders made contact at the apex of the final chicane.

Márquez was forced wide into the gravel, losing momentum and falling behind his brother Alex Márquez into sixth. Di Giannantonio was handed a long lap penalty for cutting the chicane but managed to reclaim fourth place.

Reaction from Marc Márquez

Márquez said: “It was a racing incident - that’s what Race Direction said, because he wasn’t penalised for the contact but for cutting the chicane.”

He added: “So we accept the decision. It was a racing incident and that’s it. I accept it, keep quiet and race - that’s all.”

Comparison to Valentino Rossi incident

The incident evoked memories of Márquez's famous tangle with Valentino Rossi in 2015, where Márquez sent his bike up the inside of Rossi’s Yamaha at the same part of the track.

Márquez quipped: “At least in 2015, I made the chicane!”

Looking ahead

Márquez never expected to run at the sharp end at the Dutch Grand Prix, having claimed his target was simply to survive the weekend. He said: “I went out and I knew that my place was finishing sixth, seventh and eighth,”

He added: “The good thing is that we escaped from Holland without injuries, so this was my main target.”

Márquez was the only frontrunner to run the soft rear tyre in the race, a decision he and his team took just before the start. He explained that his physical limitations eventually determined his tyre choice on one of the most demanding tracks on the calendar.

The Spaniard finished 10s down on winner Ai Ogura, but was relieved to have avoided injuries. He will look to bounce back at the next Grand Prix, focusing on his performance and physical condition.

Márquez's physical limitations have been a challenge for him, especially at tracks with high-speed corners like Assen. He said: “There is where I'm struggling more and today this is where the people attack me.”

The 33-year-old will aim to improve his performance and physical condition for the next race, looking to get back to the top step of the podium.