Marco Bezzecchi
Marco Bezzecchi believes that Dorna will certainly make some well-needed changes to MotoGP following his crash with Marc Marquez, which resulted in the latter being sidelined with a broken collarbone.
The new 2027 MotoGP regulations are aimed at improving the safety of riders in the premier class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, but changes need to come a lot sooner than that.
In the current term alone, five riders have suffered injuries during MotoGP duties that have ruled them out of upcoming race weekends for a total of 28 Grands Prix across the whole grid.
The 2025 title winner joined Jorge Martin and Maverick Vinales on the sidelines following his crash with Bezzecchi in Indonesia. The gravel at the Lombok-based circuit was determined to be the root cause of Marquez’s broken collarbone.
READ MORE: Neil Hodgson shares what was so ‘strange’ about Marco Bezzecchi and Marc Marquez’s Mandalika crash
Marco Bezzecchi says Dorna will make ‘improvements’ to rider safety at MotoGP circuits in 2026
Brad Binder warned MotoGP bosses about the gravel at Mandalika, which prompted them to smooth the surface of the rocks out ahead of the commencement of the sessions over the weekend.
However, the rough nature of the stones used was still hard enough to injure the seven-time MotoGP champion.
During his Thursday afternoon media duties at the Australian Grand Prix, Bezzecchi outlined that he believes the governing body of the sport has a plan to make amendments to save a similar incident from recurring in the future.
Asked if more asphalt is needed in some areas, the Aprilia rider replied, via GPOne, “Ask them, because when we talk about it they always say that riders ask for gravel. I have no idea. But they will definitely make improvements after the accident.”
The Italian rider was also winded in the excursion that took him off track in the process, but reassured journalists that he feels fit to race, despite still being in some degree of pain.
“I feel good. I have a lot of pain, especially in my back,” Bezzecchi added. “I was conscious all the time, but I stayed on the ground because of the hit, especially in my back; I couldn’t breathe.
“I just stood there waiting for the moment when the breathing would come back. If you have ever taken a blow to the ribs or back, you can understand the feeling, multiplied by a thousand.”
Bezzecchi was handed a penalty for his part in the crash, something that MotoGP fans think was a lot more lenient than the punishment they would have liked to have seen given to the 26-year-old.
READ MORE: How Marc Marquez responded to Marco Bezzecchi’s apology after Indonesian Grand Prix crash
Alex Marquez is also aware of the work that Dorna needs to do to make MotoGP circuits safer
Alex Marquez was furious with the race organisers after watching a replay of his brother’s crash following the conclusion of the race.
The Gresini rider is aware of the struggles that the 32-year-old had to go through to get back to his winning ways in MotoGP, and had some ‘strong words’ to say after news broke that Marc suffered a broken collarbone.
Speaking to journalists in Australia, the Spaniard’s fury was muted, but he still called for organisers to make changes, saying via GPOne, “You only realise certain things when you fall. Personally, when I take my walk around the circuit, I prefer to observe other things.
“It’s Dorna’s job to deal with them and see if they’re compliant. Of course, for the future, there’s work to be done, and we take note of that.”
The Ducati rider is expected to miss the next two rounds of racing, at the very least. Marquez’s doctor believes he will need 16 weeks on the sidelines to make a full recovery, but in true Marquez style, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him back on two wheels as soon as he possibly can.
Michele Pirro will take the reins of Marquez’s entry in the meantime, with the Ducati test rider returning to the grid after replacing Fabio Di Giannantonio at VR46 for the final race of the 2024 MotoGP season.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
