The CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team has not started the season well at all. The opening round in Portugal brought only three points to the new Aprilia satellite teamthose joined by Miguel Oliveira in the Sprint Race on Saturday, when the Portuguese rider finished seventh in the first short race in MotoGP history.
Sunday started with optimism inside Razlan Razali’s box, which saw Oliveira take the lead of the race on the first lap; the Portuguese yielded to the pressure of Pecco Bagnaia in the second round, but remained in second position defending the place against the attacks of Jorge Martín and a Marc Márquez who shortly after would become the sad protagonist of this Gran Premio de Portugal after throwing the RNF Team rider on the third lap of the race, also ruining the aspirations of Martín, who suffered a very strong blow to his right leg.
It didn’t take long for the #93 to realize the mistake he had made, and as soon as he reached the pits he went to the garage of Razlan Razali’s team to apologize in person; Márquez did the same with the public that booed him from the stands of Portimao for having thrown the local idol from him, and already in the Medical Center, Catalan I was able to exchange his first words with Miguel Oliveira, who accepted Marc’s apologies.
20 minutes after finishing the Portuguese Grand Prix, the FIM Commissioners Panel notified Marc Márquez of his sanction for what happened: two Long Lap Penalties that the Honda had to carry out in the Argentine Grand Prix, a race that he will finally lose due to the fracture he suffered in the big toe of his right hand.
This same Tuesday, the panel of commissioners led by Freddie Spencer clarified that the sanction imposed on the Spanish It is not limited solely to the appointment of Termas de Río Hondobut “to the next Grand Prix in which Marc Márquez participates”, so the Cervera driver will have no escape and will have to comply with his sanction in Austin, where he will probably return to the grid.
Last Thursday, before starting the Portuguese GP, the MotoGP riders held a meeting with representatives of the FIM to discuss the issue of sanctions for aggressive and dangerous maneuvers; this year, the Panel of Commissioners will be stricter when it comes to acting, and it was established a scale that hardens as the pilot accumulates sanctions: first a Double Long Lap Penalty, then a start from the Pit Lane and finally a ride through in the race… and if the driver continues adding more penalties, he can be directly disqualified from a grand prix.
For the CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team, however, events such as those that occurred in Portimao should be punished more harshly; The team of Miguel Oliveira and Raúl Fernández published a press release today in which they demand more severe penalties in the case of incidents “reckless and irresponsible” like the one carried out by Marc Márquez in Portugal, a maneuver that, in addition to ending Oliveira on the ground, has deprived the Pragal driver of being able to participate in the next round in Argentina due to injury.
The text sent from the RNF Team says the following:
“The CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team, after the recent reckless and irresponsible race incident involving Marc Márquez against Miguel Oliveira, is pressing for the FIM Stewards to impose harsher and more severe sanctions. MotoGP races, be it the Tissot Sprint or the main race, they are high speed and high intensity, in which all the drivers want to win at all costs.However, this aggressive behavior can often have dire consequences, not only for the drivers themselves, but also for the rest of the team. competitors”.
“The incident that occurred in the recent race between Marc Márquez and Miguel Oliveira should serve as a wake-up call for MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 riders. Therefore, it is imperative that the forcefulness of the punishment for any type of reckless driving be highlighted. and irresponsible.The CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team condemns such behavior and strongly advocates for stricter penalties to deter future offenders, including the team’s own riders.We urge FIM Stewards to take swift and decisive action against this type of reckless riding, giving example to the youngest and future riders of Moto3 and Moto2”.
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“We believe that safety is the top priority in any sport, and MotoGP must take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of all its riders. We look forward to supporting the FIM Stewards in their efforts to develop a safer and more responsible racing environment.”