Marquez–Diggia contact at the final chicane: "I didn't remember the rules"

Assen proved to be a tricky circuit for Marc Marquez, who finished seventh. But a contact with Fabio Di Giannantonio in the final stages further complicated the MotoGP champion’s race. Dealing for weeks with the aftereffects of his shoulder injury, #93 decided to ease off, choosing to make it to the end without taking unnecessary risks.

From Friday onwards, Marc Marquez realized that his physical issues would be a limitation. The condition of the gravel run-off areas influenced his performance—especially with the priority being not to suffer another injury so soon after the last one. "Here, a rider who crashes can face serious consequences, especially because of the gravel conditions. I said it last year and I’ll say it again: I hope they improve it next year. There were some nasty crashes today too, like Bezzecchi’s, and it’s clear that entering the gravel at high speed is very dangerous."

The MotoGP race in the Netherlands will also be remembered for the controversy at the final chicane between Marquez and Di Giannantonio. The VR46 rider cut the chicane improperly, forcing Marc off track. And for that (not for the contact) Fabio received a Long Lap Penalty, though he still finished 4th. "It was a racing incident. Something always happens at the last chicane. I accept Race Direction’s decision. They said it was a racing incident, and that’s it." When he was asked to compare it to the incident with Acosta in Thailand, which was not judged the same way, Marc played it down: "I accept it, I keep quiet and I race. That’s all."

His brand-mate accepted Race Direction’s sanction without complaint. His overtaking move brought to mind the episode between Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi in the 2015 MotoGP season, but with the roles reversed. "When I saw the footage, it was interesting to notice the similarities. These things happen sometimes, but they’re just coincidences," Diggia said after the Assen race. "I expected a small penalty because I cut the chicane, but at that moment I didn’t remember the rules; I was a bit distracted. When I saw the long-lap penalty, I remembered. In any case, the penalty was fair."

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