Marco Bezzecchi will remain suspended from the Czech MotoGP after the FIM Appeal Stewards rejected Aprilia’s appeal against the penalty handed to the championship leader.
The appeal was lodged shortly after MotoGP stewards announced Bezzecchi’s exclusion from Sunday’s Grand Prix following an incident after Saturday’s Sprint race at Brno.
Bezzecchi came under investigation after crashing out of the Sprint and subsequently pushing and striking a marshal who was attempting to recover his motorcycle. Following a review of the incident, MotoGP stewards imposed a suspension that ruled the Aprilia rider out of the remainder of the Czech Grand Prix weekend.
Aprilia immediately challenged the decision, with Racing CEO Massimo Rivola and team manager Paolo Bonora representing the manufacturer during appeal proceedings on Saturday evening.
However, after reviewing the evidence, the FIM Appeal Stewards upheld the original punishment.
According to the official statement, the appeal panel examined video footage, official reports and the full circumstances surrounding the incident before reaching its verdict. The stewards ultimately concluded that there were no grounds to overturn the suspension.
The decision means Bezzecchi will not take part in Sunday’s Grand Prix despite originally qualifying fourth on the grid. It is a major blow both for the rider and Aprilia, particularly given the championship implications.
As the current points leader, Bezzecchi now faces the prospect of losing a significant chunk of his advantage without even taking to the track. His rivals, including teammate Jorge Martin and reigning champion Marc Marquez, have been handed a major opportunity to close the gap in the title race.
The suspension also reshuffles the starting grid, with Marc Marquez moving up to fourth place and several other riders gaining positions.
For Aprilia, the rejection of the appeal brings an end to any hope of reinstating Bezzecchi for the Czech Grand Prix, leaving the Italian to watch from the sidelines as the championship battle continues without him.
