The Indonesian Grand Prix appeared to have sealed Marc Marquez's fate in the 2024 MotoGP title race, but it was a completely different event that sparked the Spanish champion's anger. After he retired with engine failure on his Ducati, a fire broke out, and it was the stewards' disastrous handling of the incident that really got Marquez on edge.
While he was in seventh place at Mandalika and began to rise, its Ducati suffered a sudden breakdown which quickly led to a fire. These things happen in racing" he commented calmly after the incident. However, what really upset Marquez, it is the flagrant lack of preparation of the stewards present on the track. The fire, initially limited, worsened due to the slowness and inefficiency of the stewards to react, as well as the use of old fire extinguishers.
« When I saw the fire, I immediately alerted the commissioners, but their fire extinguishers were not up to par" said a Marquez visibly irritated, mentioning: " these things can't happen "The lack of adequate equipment to handle this type of situation allowed the flames to completely ravage his Ducati. " The motorcycle was completely destroyed, even the brakes burned" he added bitterly.
We win together, we learn together!
A technical problem forced us to stop. Next weekend we race again.
Japan! 🇯🇵 #MM93 #IndonesianGP pic.twitter.com/YVfScFhNcO
- Marc Márquez (@marcmarquez93) September 29, 2024
Marc Marquez: “ the engine suddenly failed »
For a team MotoGP private as Gresini Racing team, this loss is a big blow. The cost of repairing damage to a MotoGP bike is colossal, and it puts a real hole in the team's budget. Moreover, it wasn't just a bike in bad condition: the engine that Marquez was using was relatively new and should allow him to finish the season in better conditions. He gave no warning, it suddenly broke down. I was also on my personal best lap." explained the pilot.
To Marc Marquez, this mishap was all the more frustrating as it could have been avoided if the stewards had been properly equipped. Let's hope that the team Gresini can quickly overcome this episode, because for them, the consequences of this fire go far beyond the simple points lost.
