Marc Marquez fractured his right collarbone after a violent first-lap collision at Sunday’s Indonesian Grand Prix. The factory Ducati rider was struck by Marco Bezzecchi at Turn 7 of the Mandalika circuit, landing hard on his previously operated right arm. Marquez traveled to Madrid for CT scans to determine if surgery is needed, placing his participation at Phillip Island in two weeks in doubt.
Bezzecchi’s aggressive move triggers opening lap incident
The crash happened moments into the race when Bezzecchi attempted an overtaking maneuver on the inside of Turn 7. The Aprilia rider, who had fallen from pole position to seventh through the opening corners, made contact with the rear wheel of Marquez’s Ducati at high speed. Both riders tumbled through the gravel trap, though Bezzecchi escaped without serious injury.
Marquez remained on the ground for several moments, unable to remove his helmet or gloves. He held his right arm against his stomach while medical staff attended to him. The 32-year-old Spaniard was taken immediately to the circuit medical center, where X-rays revealed the fracture.
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Diagnostic confusion stems from extensive surgical history
Initial reports created uncertainty about the exact nature of Marquez’s injury. MotoGP medical director Dr. Angel Charte told DAZN that Marquez had “trauma to his right shoulder” with “a small fracture” visible on X-rays. Ducati’s official statement referenced a right collarbone injury instead.
Dr. Charte explained the diagnostic challenge comes from Marquez’s extensive surgical history. “There is also some confusion, as it is the arm that was operated on previously. There are issues that could obscure the diagnosis,” he stated. The right arm underwent four operations following a serious injury at Jerez in 2020.
Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi confirmed that further tests would clarify the situation. “There is evidence of a break on the right shoulder but we need a CT scan to investigate deeper and understand if it’s necessary to do an operation or not,” he told Dorna during the race.
Champion accepts racing incident with philosophical perspective
Speaking to DAZN after the crash, Marquez acknowledged his preliminary assessment. “It looks like the ligaments in my collarbone are torn, but that’s just a preliminary assessment,” he said. He described feeling fortunate given the crash severity, stating he “got off lightly” considering how catastrophic the incident could have been.
The Spanish rider accepted the incident as part of racing. “These things happen in racing. I always say that one day it happens to you, and another day it happens to someone else. Bezzecchi hit my rear wheel, but these things happen. He came to apologize to me,” Marquez explained.
In an audio message released later, Marquez expressed disappointment at the timing. “Not the best way to celebrate the championship! I’m sad because I have some injury in my right collarbone, but from a race incident,” he said. He had secured his seventh MotoGP world title the previous week at the Japanese Grand Prix.
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Mandalika circuit remains problematic venue for seven-time champion
The crash extended Marquez’s difficult relationship with the Indonesian circuit. The champion has now failed to finish a grand prix in all four attempts at Mandalika since the track joined the calendar. The incident capped what Marquez described as a “miserable weekend,” though he had felt optimistic after making progress with bike setup during warm-up.
The collision contributed to a disastrous race for factory Ducati. Marquez’s teammate Francesco Bagnaia crashed out on lap eight, leaving both factory riders with no points.
Gresini Ducati’s Fermin Aldeguer capitalized on the chaos to claim his first career MotoGP victory, becoming the second-youngest grand prix winner at 20 years and 189 days, trailing only Marquez himself. Race stewards opened an investigation into the collision.
Bezzecchi also underwent medical evaluation and was transported to a hospital in Mataram for comprehensive examination following the crash.
