Marc Marquez Calls for Assen MotoGP 2026 Run-off Changes

Marc Marquez has called for changes to the run-off areas at the 2026 Assen MotoGP after a series of high-speed crashes sent several riders airborne through the circuit's gravel traps.

Several major accidents occurred throughout the Dutch Grand Prix weekend. Fermin Aldeguer, Alex Marquez and Jorge Martin all crashed during practice, while Marco Bezzecchi suffered a heavy accident at Turn 15 on lap two of the Grand Prix before later being discharged from hospital without injury.

Marquez believes the main concern is not only the crashes themselves but also the behaviour of the gravel traps, which launch riders into the air when they arrive at high speed.

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"Assen is a very nice circuit, but I already said it last year and I'm saying it again this year. The run-off areas need something because every rider who goes into the gravel at high speed is flying. I don't know exactly what needs to be done, but something has to change," Marquez said.

The Ducati Lenovo Team rider also pointed to Aldeguer's Friday crash, which resulted in a fractured vertebra, and Bezzecchi's violent tumble after entering the gravel trap at Turn 15.

"On Friday we saw Fermin get injured from what was basically a normal crash once he reached the gravel. Today Bezzecchi started cartwheeling after entering the gravel. They need to understand what needs to be improved," he added.

Luca Marini shared similar concerns. The Honda HRC Castrol rider said Bezzecchi was fortunate not to hit the barrier and believes several run-off areas at Assen can be improved from a safety perspective.

Marini argued that the gravel trap actually worsened the crashes by causing riders to tumble repeatedly after losing control. He compared it with Jorge Martin's Turn 12 accident, where the absence of gravel prevented the rider from being launched into the air. Marini also suggested that the barrier positions at Turns 15 and 7 should be reviewed through the Safety Commission.

Although MotoGP will switch to 850cc machinery from 2027, Marini does not expect the smaller engines to solve the issue. He believes that even a Moto2 bike could still reach the barriers after crashing at Turn 15, making improvements to the run-off areas essential regardless of engine capacity.