Alex Márquez on Bezzecchi’s crash: “Marco misjudged it slightly”

Strong slipstream or misjudgement – Marco Bezzecchi and Alex Márquez comment on the collision – In the end, the Aprilia rider still set the fastest time of the day

A remarkable crash occurred at the start of the afternoon practice session for the Australian Grand Prix. Marco Bezzecchi was riding his Aprilia close behind Alex Marquez’s Gresini Ducati.

In the fast left-hand Turn 3, named after Casey Stoner, Alex Marquez took the inside line right next to the kerb. Bezzecchi chose a slightly wider line. Both riders drifted spectacularly through the fast corner.

As they straightened their bikes out at the exit of the corner, Bezzecchi was carrying too much speed. He tried to move outwards, but contact was made.

The front of Bezzecchi’s motorbike made contact with the rear right-hand side of the Gresini-Ducati. Fairing parts flew through the air, mainly from the black Aprilia, where a lot had come loose.

As a result, Bezzecchi was unable to slow his motorbike down properly before the Jack Miller hairpin and crashed into the grass. Although his right leg was trapped under the motorbike, the Italian did not sustain any injuries.

How did this crash happen in the first place? “No idea, ask him,” replied Alex Márquez when asked this question. “I was at the front. I was on the normal line and riding at my usual pace.”

Marco Bezzecchi has now crashed! 👀

And it’s after CONTACT with @alexmarquez73 🤯

#AustralianGP 🇦🇺 https://t.co/4OGu6mGWLA

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) 23 October 2026

The Spaniard confirmed that he hadn’t eased off the throttle at that moment, but had been riding a normal lap. This is also borne out by the sector time. On that lap, Alex Márquez completed the first sector in 23.273 seconds, whilst Bezzecchi clocked 23.254.

“I think,” says Alex Márquez, “his plan was to overtake me at that point because he was faster than me, but he misjudged it slightly. Nothing happened, though, so it’s all right. That’s just how it goes – let’s put it behind us.”

Bezzecchi, too, doesn’t want to make too much of the situation: “Things like that can happen. We were very close together; he braked at a point where I wouldn’t have expected him to. I only grazed him slightly, but then I ended up in the grass and crashed.”

Another view of the incident, including a not-so-impressed reaction from @alexmarquez73 👀

#AustralianGP 🇦🇺 https://t.co/Lq3zm38FYz

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) 23 October 2026

Could slipstreaming have played a part? After all, motorbikes have often been sucked in by aerodynamics, leaving the rider behind with hardly any chance to react.

“Well, the wind was blowing strongly,” says Bezzecchi. “It was very windy, and when I was close behind, I could hardly swerve out of the way. That’s why I touched his leg, but in the end it was nothing dramatic. It’s all right.”

The practice session was briefly interrupted to clear the track of fairing parts. Meanwhile, the race stewards investigated the incident. They classified it as a racing incident and did not impose any penalties.

Bezzecchi was able to continue the practice session on his second bike and went on to set the fastest time of the day. Alex Márquez finished the session in sixth place, meaning both riders have qualified directly for Q2.