Marco Bezzecchi told real ‘issue’ risking Australian Grand Prix win isn’t his Marc Marquez penalty

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Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi has to serve a double long lap penalty in the 2025 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix for causing his crash with Ducati’s Marc Marquez in Indonesia.

But Neil Hodgson believes that, despite the penalty, Bezzecchi can win the Australian GP on Sunday if the Aprilia rider can overcome his real “Achilles heel” at Phillip Island. The 28-year-old was due to be the clear favourite to triumph Down Under before the penalty was issued.

The FIM stewards ruled earlier this week that Bezzecchi will serve a double long lap penalty in the Australian GP, having found him guilty of irresponsible riding at Mandalika. The Italian also received a double long lap penalty instead of one as it was his second offence this year.

Bezzecchi crashed into Marquez on the first lap of the Indonesian GP when he misjudged his speed compared to the Spaniard’s under braking for Turn 7. The Rimini native was not trying to overtake Marquez at T7, but he rode into the Ducati rider and caused them both to crash.

Tyre management will determine Marco Bezzecchi’s hopes to win the Australian Grand Prix

A double long lap penalty will seriously endanger Bezzecchi’s hopes to win the Australian GP on Sunday, despite him setting record-breaking pace in practice. The Aprilia rider recorded a new MotoGP lap record for Phillip Island of 1:26.492 during pre-qualifying practice on Friday.

READ MORE: Everything to know about the Australian Grand Prix, including past winners

Bezzecchi was 0.291 seconds faster than Trackhouse Aprilia’s Raul Fernandez atop the pre-qualifying practice timesheet, and he will be expected to take pole position on Saturday. But Hodgson warns Bezzecchi that tyre management will determine if he wins the Australian GP.

Hodgson said on TNT Sports 2 (17/10, 05:11): “The dilemma he’s got is… I genuinely think he could still win with a double long lap penalty. The issue is going to be tyre life, because he’s going to have to attack the whole time. He can’t sit back and save it.

“How many races have we seen where the race doesn’t start until about three laps to go and, all of a sudden, someone’s tyre suddenly drops off a cliff edge, and they’ve lost two seconds a lap?

“That’s going to be the huge Achilles heel for Bezzecchi, because to win with a double long lap, he’s going to have to go full attack mode.”

Marco Bezzecchi is still dealing with back pain after his Mandalika crash with Marc Marquez

Aprilia star Bezzecchi must serve his double long lap penalty in the Australian GP on Sunday. So, his chances to win the Sprint on Saturday are unaffected by a penalty issued for causing a crash with Marquez in the Indonesian GP, which also sidelined the Spaniard through injury.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Marco Bezzecchi from net worth to race number

Ducati hope Marquez can return from injury in Valencia for the season finale, so that he can take part in the post-race test in November aboard their 2026 bike. While Bezzecchi walked away from his crash with Marquez without a serious injury, he is still feeling pain in his back.

So, Bezzecchi faces a very tall order to deal with his back pain, overcome his double long lap penalty and manage his tyres to still win the Australian GP. It would be his second win of the 2025 MotoGP season, after Bezzecchi won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone back in May.