Marquez penalty shifted to US round

Marc Marquez will serve a penalty handed out by the MotoGP stewards at the third round in the United States due to him missing the next event in Argentina through injury.

Honda rider Marquez has been heavily criticised for the accident with Miguel Oliveira on the third lap of the weekend’s opening race in Portugal.

The six-time champion will now miss this weekend’s second round at Termas de Rio Hondo after breaking a bone in his right hand.

As a result of the incident, the FIM MotoGP Stewards’ Panel handed Spaniard Marquez a double long-lap penalty for the race in Argentina.

But due to Marquez sitting out that event, they have determined the penalty will now be served at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin on April 16.

In its original decision, the stewards accused Marquez of being “overly aggressive” and of “irresponsible riding” in his crash with RNF rider Oliveira who will also miss Argentina through injury.

In updating its verdict, a stewards’ report read: “Considering the injury and non-participation of Marc Marquez, rider #93, at the Gran Premio Michelin de la Républica Argentina, and with a view to complying with the intention underlying the decision taken by the FIM MotoGP Stewards Panel, the double long lap penalty shall be served by the rider at the next MotoGP race in which he will be able to participate.”

Specifically, the penalty means Marquez will have to ride around a defined safe point of COTA, which is a number of seconds slower than the normal racing line, on two occasions.