Australian Grand Prix winner Marc Marquez had a rather unusual excuse for his slow start in Sunday's MotoGP race at Phillip Island. The Gresini Ducati rider revealed that a large insect that had landed on his visor during the grid formation lap was the culprit behind his smoky getaway.
Marquez, who started 13th, had to fight his way through the field after a tear-off he had removed on the grid got caught beneath his rear tire. Despite the initial setback, the Spaniard managed to overtake Pramac Ducati's Jorge Martin and secure a thrilling victory.
Speaking about the incident, Marquez said, "When I was setting the front device, I had a big insect here [in the middle of the visor] and I didn't have clear vision. I decided to remove it, thinking it would go to the [pit] wall with the wind. But it went to my rear tire. I thought 'that's super unlucky, it cannot be like this'. But it was like this."
The incident caused a stir among the riders, as it's generally considered best practice not to remove tear-offs on the grid to avoid safety hazards. However, Marquez explained that the large Australian insects left him with no choice.
World champion Francesco Bagnaia, who witnessed the incident from the second row, expressed his understanding of Marquez's actions. "I saw that he was removing his tear-off, but when he tried to throw it away, he threw it on the wrong side because the wind was blowing that side," Bagnaia said. "So the wind blew it under his bike."
Bagnaia also pointed out that similar incidents had occurred in the past, such as when Jack Miller retired from the 2020 Misano Grand Prix due to a tear-off lodged in his bike's airbox. While there's no official rule against removing tear-offs on the grid, it's generally considered a risky practice.
Despite the initial setback caused by the insect, Marquez's impressive riding skills allowed him to recover and claim a well-deserved victory. His quick thinking and ability to adapt to the situation showcased his exceptional talent and determination.
