HODGSON CALLS FERNANDEZ’S MANDALIKA CRASH A RACING INCIDENT

Neil Hodgson has defended Marc Marquez after Trackhouse team principal Davide Brivio blamed the Ducati rider and Fabio Di Giannantonio for the opening-corner crash that ended Raul Fernandez’s Indonesian Grand Prix Sprint.

Fernandez had started from his first MotoGP pole, earned at Mandalika with a 1:28.852, 0.109 seconds ahead of Marco Bezzecchi. Marquez qualified fourth but launched well in the Sprint and joined the fight for the lead at Turn 1. As he moved between Bezzecchi and Di Giannantonio, the VR46 rider widened his line, pushing the group towards Fernandez. Bezzecchi and Fernandez were forced onto a less-grippy section of track and had to lift their bikes to avoid going down. Fernandez then got back on the throttle and struck Bezzecchi from behind, bringing both riders’ race to an end.

Brivio was angry with the moves from Marquez and Di Giannantonio, saying they had been “extremely aggressive” and were trying to gain too many places at the first corner. “For the first corner, it was too aggressive,” he told the MotoGP world feed. He added that he was not surprised by what had happened.

Hodgson, speaking on TNT Sports, saw the incident as a racing clash rather than grounds to single out Marquez. “It’s the first corner of a Sprint Race; what are you supposed to do? I don’t know what you’re supposed [to do]. Like, we’re here to race bikes, aren’t we?” he said. He acknowledged Fernandez had been squeezed, but argued Marquez had little choice in the crowded turn. “It’s not that I’m just not defending Marc Marquez; it’s just that’s the reality.”

Hodgson pointed to Jorge Martin’s onboard footage as the clearest angle, saying there was room before Di Giannantonio moved across. “It’s nothing. It’s the first corner of a race,” he said, describing the squeeze as part of the chain of events that left Fernandez with nowhere to go.

Martin emerged from the opening-corner chaos in front and led the Sprint, but Marquez ultimately took the win. Martin later surrendered the lead, with Marquez suggesting his rival may have been concerned about front-tyre pressure. Martin made another attempt to retake the position but made a further mistake and finished fourth.

Fernandez will have another chance to recover in Sunday’s Grand Prix after his pole-position Sprint ended in the collision.