MOTO GP has seen another shocking collision on its opening weekend as six-times world champion Marc Marquez wiped out home hero Miguel Oliveira.
The pair were among the frontrunners in the first feature race of the season in Portugal.
This was the moment Marquez collected Oliveira in a shocking shunt at turn three
Portuguese rider Oliveira was running in second but was left on the ground after the crash
Marquez rushed to the aid of his fellow driver who had been thrown from his bike with terrifying force
Marc Márquez knows he's made a real mess of that!
Miguel Oliveira is collected and out of his home race…#PortugueseGP pic.twitter.com/8oVedpRQuX
— MotoGP on BT Sport (@btsportmotogp) March 26, 2023
But both would end up out of the race within the opening laps after an ill-judged lunge by Marquez.
The Spaniard, 30, had taken a shock pole on his unfancied Honda bike yesterday.
But he dropped back to fourth after a dodgy start.
In a desperate attempt to make up positions, he flung himself down the inside his rivals as they approached one turn three.
But he hit second-placed Oliveira, who was competing in his home race.
The heart-stopping crash saw both riders wiped out with Oliveira, 28, immediately falling off his bike before tumbling across the track.
Both drivers reportedly picked up injuries from the clash.
Fans were left fuming with Marquez’s risky move.
One said on Twitter: “He should be banned for at least one race… It’s unbelievable.”
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Another said: “Let’s see if there’s a penalty….he need reigning in! So many times before he’s caused issues! He’s a liability.”
Another unimpressed fan added: “That’s beyond amateurish” while a different motorsport viewer said: “M Marquez is becoming a liability and an clear and present danger on an MotoGP bike.”
But one had praise for Marquez’s conduct after the accident.
They said: “All class by MM. Immediately went to see if MO was okay. Didn’t even consider getting back on the bike. Cared about his fellow rider.”
It was just the latest shunt in an error-strewn weekend for the MotoGP grid with two drivers ruled out of Sunday’s race after earlier incidents.
Pol Espargaro suffered several serious injuries after he lost control of his KTM bike and was flung into the barriers.
While Enea Bastianini sustained a fracture to his right shoulder blade after a crash with Luca Marini during Saturday’s sprint race.
Both the sprint and the race were won by last year’s champion Francesco Bagnaia, as he looks to become the first man to retain his crown since Marquez in 2019.
