Moto2 Phillip Island, Free Practice: Marc Marquez explains the clash with Wilairot

Marc Marquez was the protagonist of a terrible clash with the innocent Rattapark Wilairot today at Phillip Island. In fact, the Spanish centaur hit the Thai driver squarely while maintaining a high pace on the return lap, which is prohibited by the regulations. Things went well for Marquez, with only a cut above his eye and a wound on his nose (so much so that he was able to take part in the second session), while Wilairot was taken to hospital for a strong blow to his back and a knee swollen to be subjected to a CT scan.

“It was a very hard day, a day to forget – said Marc Marquez – It was all very strange, with unusual things, like the crash in the morning, when I made a mistake. I was too fast and I fell touching the grass. When the session was about to end I went for a lap to check that everything was OK, when at the third corner, a very fast corner, I saw a rider. I wasn't very fast but the track there is very fast and in that corner, which is normally done in fifth gear, I was probably in fourth gear. Having dodged the first driver, I found Wilairot in front of me and I was unable to brake. It went well for me, because it was a very dangerous fight and I wasn't seriously injured and I wish him the best. In the afternoon we tried to recover the feeling because we had to ride with the previous bike, the one with the old frame. It took a few laps to get used to it again, but we will have to keep working tomorrow and, of course, we don't give up. There's not much I can say about the penalty. It was a decision of the Race Direction and we must respect it, even if we don't agree with them.”