Repsol Caixa Moto2 rider Marc Marquez will have a minute added on to his qualification time tomorrow as a penalty for riding into the back of Ratthapark Wilairot at the end of free practice one at Phillip Island which ended in the Thai rider going to hospital.
Race direction deemed the Spaniard 'rode in an irresponsible manner' after the chequered flag had been shown when he crashed into the SAG FTR rider who sustained back and left leg injuries but nothing serious. He is in Melbourne Hospital under observation.
A statement from the FIM reads:
On Friday 14th october after passing the chequered flag at the end of the 1st Free Practice rider Marc Márquez (SPA) rode in an irresponsible manner, causing danger to rider Ratthapark Wilairot (THA) which is an infringement to the Art. 1.21.2 of the 2011 FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Regulations.
The Race Direction has decided to impose a time penalty of 1 minute to be added to the qualification time of Marc Márquez.
An appeal has been lodged.
The FIM Stewards have confirmed the decision of the Race Direction.
The decision of the FIM Stewards is final.
Marquez said of the accident: "It was a very tough day, a day to forget, and that is what we are going to do. It was all very strange, with unusual things, such as the morning crash, when I made a mistake. I was too fast and when I step on the grass I fell. When the session was about to finish I went out to do a lap and check that everything was fine after the crash. When the session was over and after the finish line, I was finishing the lap to go back to the garage when in the third corner —which is very fast— I saw a rider. I was not going too fast, but the track is very fast and in that corner, which is normally taken in fifth, I was maybe on fourth.
"When the other rider got out of the way I saw that Wilairot was behind him and I was not able to brake. I hope he is fine, because it was a hard crash and I was not seriously injured, so I wish him the best. In the afternoon we tried to recover the confidence and the feeling again, because we had to ride with the previous bike, with the old chassis. It took a bit to get used to it again, but we will keep working tomorrow and of course we will not give up. About the penalty there is not much I can say. It was a decision of the Race Direction and we have to respect it, even if we do not agree with it".
