BUENOS AIRES, March 28 — Miguel Oliveira will be the fourth rider to miss a MotoGP race this season after his team RNF Racing said he has been ruled out of the Argentine Grand Prix due to injuries suffered in the season-opening race in Portugal in a crash with Marc Marquez.
Oliveira was in second place in the opening stages of his home Portuguese Grand Prix on Sunday when Marquez locked up his Honda and barged straight into the RNF Racing rider as both crashed out of the race.
Oliveira was initially declared fit to race next weekend after medical checks showed he suffered only a contusion to his right leg, but his team later said he would now miss the second round in Argentina.
GasGas Factory Racing Tech3’s Pol Espargaro missed the weekend’s action after a horrific crash in practice while Ducati’s Enea Bastianini was taken to hospital after sustaining a right scapula fracture in a crash during Saturday’s sprint.
Marquez, who apologised for his error, will also miss the second round due to a hand fracture and his penalty now carries forward to the next race he enters.
“Considering the injury and non-participation of MotoGP rider Marc Marquez at the Argentina GP, the double long lap penalty shall be served in the next MotoGP race in which he will be able to participate,” MotoGP said. — Reuters
