Bezzecchi brushes off Fernandez's anger after Indonesian GP sprint crash

Marco Bezzecchi has brushed aside Raul Fernandez's anger over their first-corner crash in Saturday's MotoGP Mandalika sprint, calling it a racing incident.

While there were a lot of moving parts in the chain reaction at Turn 1, Bezzecchi was the first rider to fall off. His factory Aprilia skittled Fernandez's Trackhouse entry, putting paid to both of their hopes. 

Given that the pair had started from the first two spots on the grid, with Fernandez on pole, and were clear favourites, emotions were high in the wake of incident.

Fernandez was seen sarcastically applauding Bezzecchi in the gravel trap after the duo went down, and launched an attack in the media following the race. 

By contrast, Bezzecchi was jovial in his press briefings, saying there was nothing he could do about what was a racing incident. The Italian claimed he was in fact trying to stay out of trouble as the forceful Ducati of Marc Marquez appeared on his inside.

"I was just looking to put myself in the best place possible for the braking," he said. "I knew Marc could try to overtake, but it was for me useless to try to force too much and maybe throw away the race in the first corner. So it's what I did."

Raul Fernandez, Trackhouse Racing, Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team, Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing, Marc Marquez, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / Getty Images

Bezzecchi went on to suggest that Fernandez, who was on his outside, had touched him. 

"If Raul is angry, I'm sorry, but honestly, he touched me. So at the end, there's nothing to be angry for," he said.

"Me versus him or him versus me... in the end, it's a race incident. I couldn't disappear and he also couldn't disappear. So nothing really to complain too much about. I mean, it's something that can happen."

Regarding the clapping gesture, Bezzecchi was also unperturbed, saying he was not innocent in that regard.

"It's normal to make some kind of reaction when you are angry, that maybe in a normal moment you [wouldn't do]. I am maybe the one that can confirm this more than anyone," said the Aprilia rider.

While the incident surely put paid to title hopes that were already hanging by a thread for Bezzecchi, he still has a strong package for the Indonesian GP on Sunday.

The Rimini man has unfinished business with this race after crashing out of last year's edition, which he also started as a big favourite. 

"I am sad because we made a good job 'til one and a half an hours ago," he said. "But I don't want to waste energy with this. I want to focus for tomorrow."