Marc Marquez urges safety changes after Dutch GP crashes

Marc Marquez finished seventh in the Dutch Grand Prix at Assen on Sunday, a result that maintained his championship position as the MotoGP season reached its midpoint. The factory Ducati rider, still managing his recovery from shoulder surgery, described his weekend as one of survival, prioritizing a safe finish over outright speed at a circuit he has historically found challenging.

The race was won by Ai Ogura of the Trackhouse Aprilia team, who secured his first MotoGP victory and became the first Japanese rider to win a premier class race since 2004. His teammate, Raul Fernandez, finished second, completing a dominant weekend for the American squad after also securing a one-two finish in Saturday's sprint race. The factory Aprilia of Jorge Martin finished third, a result that moved him into the championship lead.

Marquez's primary objective was to leave the Netherlands without further injury, a goal he achieved. He explained that the fast, right-handed layout of Assen, particularly the direction changes from left to right corners leading into braking zones, exposed his current physical limitations. He stated he was riding in a safe mode and knew his realistic finishing...