Miller-Marquez contact a ‘racing incident’

Marc Marquez is satisfied that it was a racing incident when he was pushed wide by Jack Miller during the Italy MotoGP Sprint.

Miller attempted to capitalise when rain started to fall over certain corners of the Mugello circuit during the early stages of the Saturday afternoon encounter.

It nearly ended in disaster when the Red Bull KTM rider went for a pass for third at Scarperia on Lap 3 and made side-to-side contact with the #93 Honda.

With both running wide, Miller in fact dropped a spot in net terms to fifth and Marquez emerged seventh.

Race Direction took no action, not that the party on the receiving end was looking for any.

“What happened with Miller for me was completely a racing incident because the track condition was very much on the limit, some raindrops and when he braked, he believed he would stay on the line, but he just went wide,” said Marquez.

“We had contact, but this is MotoGP and this time happened to me.

“For me it was okay; just unlucky I lose four positions in one go and I was thinking to lose positions lap by lap, but it did not change a lot my race.”

That was but one of the Queenslander’s multiple passing moves which did not stick during the 11-lapper.

He recounted, “It was nice to be a part of the fight in the Sprint. I felt pretty good from the get-go.

“I got beaten-up a little at Turn 1 and I was struggling a bit there most of the day in deceleration and getting the bike stopped.

“When the rain started, I tried to make my way to the front but a couple of mistakes meant I was in clutches of the other guys again.

“It was greasy out there and I got stuck in one pace for the Sprint but understood more and more about the bike towards the end.

“We made a step and I think we’ll have a bit more for [today].”

Miller finished sixth on his RC16, first of those not on a Ducati, and Marquez seventh.

The latter had qualified second-fastest thanks to a tow from eventual Sprint winner Francesco Bagnaia, but admitted, “In the race, we came back to our natural position.”

Miller’s KTM team-mate Brad Binder was penalised for contact with the other Marquez, Alex on a Gresini Ducati, who went down at the first corner of the race.

The South African, who disagreed with the sanction, went on to finish 11th and set a new MotoGP top speed record along the way.

Next up is the Sunday morning (local time) Warm Up, then the Grand Prix race tonight at 22:00 AEST.