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Rider McPhee and Gresini Alcoba were part of the maniacal leading group during the exciting Moto3 meeting on Sunday in Qatar.
Alcoba slammed into teammate Darryn Binder’s back at Turn 1 at the start of lap 15, crashing as his stray Gresini bike rushed down McPhee’s path and hit the Scotsman in the head.
After being knocked out by another runner for the second race in a row, an enraged McPhee attacked Alcoba in the gravel pit, with runner Gresini also firing back.
Both have been fined 1,000 euros for their behavior and will start the Portuguese GP from the pit lane. Alcoba will exit five seconds after the rest of the field, McPhee being forced to wait 10 seconds before leaving.
McPhee accepts his punishment and says his reaction was “out of character”.
In a statement on Monday night, McPhee said: “I let my emotions get the best of me in Qatar, after being shot for the second week in a row following a mistake by another rider.
“I have to apologize for my conduct – I did not react well to the incident.
John Mcphee, Petronas Sprinta Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“It’s an adrenaline fueled sport, with obvious inherent danger; the fact that a competitor’s bike hit me on the head triggered an out-of-character reaction and I want to apologize to the fans, my team, Petronas and our partners.
“I accept the penalty and will move to Portimao focused on the task at hand.”
One of the pre-season World Championship favorites, McPhee leaves Qatar without a single point after Leopard’s Xavi Artigas unleashed a multi-driver shunt – which included McPhee – in the Qatar GP.
Sunday’s Doha GP was won by 16-year-old rookie Pedro Acosta, who came nine seconds behind the field in the first round after starting in the pit lane to claim a sensational first victory.
Ajo KTM rider now leads the Moto3 standings by nine points ahead of Binder, while Acosta’s teammate and Qatari GP winner Jaume Masia is third at 13 points.
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