Marc Marquez Warns of New Start Risk After Holeshot Ban

Marc Marquez believes MotoGP's ban on front holeshot devices has made braking into Turn 1 safer, but has also increased the risks between the race start and the first braking zone.

The Ducati Lenovo Team rider explained that without the front-lowering device, motorcycles are more prone to wheelies during the launch phase. That can cause riders to drift sideways or lose stability when the front wheel lands before braking.

Marquez noted that riders have completed additional practice starts at both Brno and Assen to adapt to the regulation change. However, he stressed that practice conditions are very different from a real race start, where every rider accelerates aggressively towards Turn 1.

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"It's two things. From the start to the first corner is much more dangerous, and then from the brake point to the corner is safer. I just hope everybody keeps control," said Marquez.

The eight-time world champion also recalled the 2017 Catalunya incident involving Danilo Petrucci as an example of how easily riders can lose control during the launch phase. He believes the risk remains because the rear ride-height device is still legal, keeping the rear of the bike low and making wheelies more likely.

Marquez added that banning the rear ride-height device immediately would not be practical because it is used throughout the lap, unlike the front holeshot device, which is only used at the start. MotoGP will also introduce wider grid spacing from the Sachsenring round as part of its revised start safety measures.