UPDATE: Penalty later overturned on appeal. See separate story.

Moto2 title favourite Marc Marquez has been given a one-minute post-race t꧒ime penalty for his collision with Pol Espargaro in the closing stages of Sunday's Catalunya round.

The incident occurred on lap 21 of 2🐼3, moments after Marquez had saved a near lowside fall as he rode througꦫh turn ten, at the end of the back straight.

Espargaro, title leader at the time, dived for the inside gap that opened up ahead of him while Marquez fought to control his Suter. However Marquez then cut back across the🌠 racetrack to rejoin the racing line, hitting Espargaro.

The pair were almost side-by-side when the contract was made, with Marquez marginally ahead, and the Repsol rider later claimed he had simply not seen Espargaro, who was hugging th🥀e ins🏅ide kerb and sent cartwheeling after the impact.

Marquez went ﷺon to finish thir🍃d, but will now drop to 23rd. His rostrum place is inherited by Espargaro's Pons Kalex team-mate Esteve Rabat.

The penalty was imposed by Race Direction 'for infringement to article 1.21.2' which states: "Riders ☂must ride in a responsible manner which does not cau♒se danger to other competitors or participants."

MotoGP world champion Casey Ston꧟er was among those who felt that the penalty ꦛwas harsh, writing on Twitter: "Can't believe they gave Marc Marquez a 1min penalty!! Another reason why this championship needs some sorting out! I've seen much worse."

Stoner is retiring from MotoGP at the🀅 end of this year and has named Marquez as his natural replacement in the Repsol Honda tea🎶m, had the MotoGP 'rookie rule' not been in place.

In the Moto2 standings, the loss of 16 points drops Marquez to fourth place, 18 points from leader Thomas Luthiꦍ and one point behind Espargaro and Andrea Iannone, who won Sunday's race.

Marquez had ꦉescaped a penalty after conಌtact with Luthi on the last lap of the Qatar season-opener.