Marc Marquez penalty: MotoGP Court of Appeal grants 'stay of execution’

The decision effectively means the penalty is suspended until the MotoGP Court of Appeal reaches its final verdict on whether having missed Argentina (and now COTA), Marquez will still need to serve the penalty when he returns.

The case centres on whether the FIM Stewards acted correctly in changing the 'application' of the Spaniard's original penalty from round two in ‘Argentina’ to ‘the next MotoGP Race in which the rider will be able to participate’ - once it became clear Marquez would miss Termas due to injury.

Without the ‘stay of execution’, had Marquez returned to action in COTA this weekend it would have been unclear if he should serve the penalty on Sunday or not.

‘A final decision on the appeal will be rendered in due course,' added an FIM statement.

FIM statement:

'On 26 March 2023, in the MotoGP Race of the Grande Premio Tissot de Portugal, the FIM MotoGP Stewards Panel imposed a Double Long Lap Penalty on Mr Marc Marquez, Rider #93. On 28 March 2023, the same FIM MotoGP Stewards Panel notified the Application of the Sanction imposed on the rider to clarify the scope of its applicability.

'Following the appeal from the rider and the HRC - Repsol Honda Team against the Application of the Sanction, the FIM Appeal Stewards decided to refer the case to the MotoGP Court of Appeal on 29 March 2023.

'As a result, the MotoGP Court of Appeal ruled on the request to stay the execution of the Application of the Sanction submitted by the Appellants. A decision granting the stay of execution of the Application of the Sanction was rendered on 12 April 2023 and notified the same day to the Appellants.

'A final decision on the appeal will be rendered in due course.'