Breaking news
MotoGP
Claims title without Marquez illegitimate “complete crock”
Jack Miller says claims that a MotoGP title win against an injured Marc Marquez would be illegitimate are a “complete crock” as all riders “have the opportunity to get injured”.
Lewis Duncan
Edited: Jul 23, 2020, 4:38 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Reigning world champion Marquez broke his right arm in a heavy crash in last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix and was set to miss this weekend’s Andalusian GP at Jerez following surgery on Tuesday.
However, he has been declared fit after confirming his intentions to make a sensational return.
In the immediate aftermath of Marquez’s incident, Honda team boss Alberto Puig courted controversy when he said a rider benefitting from Marquez’s injury to win the title couldn’t be “completely satisfied”.
Puig has since insisted his comments were taken out of turn, and said they came from his own experiences of winning the 1995 Spanish GP at Jerez after reigning champion Mick Doohan crashed out.
“Obviously, whoever wins the championship will be the just winner and deserve it,” Puig said on Thursday.
“But my opinion, and I know what I am talking about, is that when you win but the champion is not on the track you always have something left inside.
“I will set my example: I won a race here in 1995, and I've always wondered if I would have won it if Mick Doohan hadn't fallen.
“The same would not have happened. That is what I meant. Because the champion, without Marc, will always have that in his head.”
Read Also:
- Binder learned MotoGP riders aren’t “superheroes” they seem
- MotoGP changes yellow flag rules for Andalusian GP
- Marquez declared fit to ride at Andalusian GP
When asked about Puig’s original quotes, however, Miller felt the opinion was not “valid”.
“I’ve heard two people say now two questions about the validity of the championship, and it’s a complete crock,” he said.
“We all started on Friday or Wednesday 100% fit. One guy gets injured, doesn’t matter. “We all get injured. I mean they keep bringing it up, that’s not valid.
“We all have the opportunity to get injured and it’s the risk you take.”
Motorsport.com asked the current top three in the standings – Fabio Quartararo, Maverick Vinales and Andrea Dovizioso – for their takes on the claims, but they steered clear.
Dovizioso said: “This championship is a bit different and the rules are the same for everybody.
“We have to try to win in 12 races. Marc, it looks like he will be on track, so nothing changes.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Binder learned MotoGP riders aren’t “superheroes” they seem
Next article New MotoGP yellow flag rule "not the right idea" - Miller
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Lewis Duncan
MotoGP 2025: Full rider line-up revealed
MotoGP
MotoGP Sep 19, 2024
MotoGP 2025: Full rider line-up revealed
A year on from Marquez’s Germany MotoGP meltdown, has Honda improved?
MotoGP
MotoGP
German GP
Jul 5, 2024
A year on from Marquez’s Germany MotoGP meltdown, has Honda improved?
What’s behind MotoGP’s right-hander chaos in Germany practice?
MotoGP
MotoGP
German GP
Jul 5, 2024
What’s behind MotoGP’s right-hander chaos in Germany practice?
More from
Marc Marquez
Jorge Lorenzo describes Marc Marquez as “the Ayrton Senna of motorcycling”
MotoGP
MotoGP
Qatar GP
3 d
Jorge Lorenzo describes Marc Marquez as “the Ayrton Senna of motorcycling”
Valentino Rossi in new autobiography: '2015 still hurts, Marc Marquez wanted me to lose'
MotoGP
MotoGP
Qatar GP
4 d
Valentino Rossi in new autobiography: '2015 still hurts, Marc Marquez wanted me to lose'
Latest news
The ten closest finishes from the 2026 NASCAR season
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 12 h
The ten closest finishes from the 2026 NASCAR season
‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 12 h
‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes
BMW "proud of what we achieved" after securing runner-up in 2026 WEC
WEC
WEC WEC
Monza
14 h
BMW "proud of what we achieved" after securing runner-up in 2026 WEC
The numbers that reveal how sprint races have turned the MotoGP title fight upside down
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
16 h
The numbers that reveal how sprint races have turned the MotoGP title fight upside down
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe