UPDATE: John McPhee, Jeremy Alcoba get pit lane starts for 'fighting'

UPDATE: John McPhee has released the following statement:

"I let my emotions get the better of me in Qatar, having been taken down for the second week in succession as a consequence of another rider’s mistake.

"I must apologise for my conduct – I didn’t react well to the incident.

"It is an adrenaline-fuelled sport, with obvious inherent danger; having a competitor’s bike strike my head triggered an out-of-character response and I’d like to apologise to the fans, my team, Petronas and our partners.

"I accept the penalty and will move onto Portimao focused on the task at hand."

John McPhee's nightmare start to the 2021 Moto3 season continues with the Scotsman punished with a pit lane start +10 seconds for 'fighting with another rider'.

Now taken out of both Qatar races, frustration got the better of the Scotsman when he was struck on the side of the head by Jeremy Alcoba's bouncing bike as he battled for victory in the closing stages of Sunday's Doha Grand Prix.

While fortunately avoiding serious injury, a furious McPhee was then seen pushing and kicking out at the Spaniard, who had fallen after clipping the back of McPhee's Petronas team-mate and race leader Darryn Binder into Turn 1.

Race Direction deemed the scuffle 'fighting with another rider' and 'therefore an infringement' of the regulations, 'being detrimental to the interests of the sport'. McPhee has also been fined 1,000 Euros.

Alcoba, who responded to McPhee's actions by pushing the Scotsman, was found guilty of the same offence but given a slightly lighter punishment of a pit lane start +5 seconds as well as the 1,000 Euros fine.

Speaking before the penalty was announced, McPhee said: "I’m gutted about the crash and it’s a shame for us to finish the race this way, because of another rider’s mistake… Everything was going to plan until then."

Team director Johan Stigefelt added: "I’m really gutted for John and feel so sorry for him. He rode really well and he did what he should do, but another rider took him out again. We really need to look at this because it’s unacceptable."

“I made a mistake also due to the surprising move by Binder. I’m sorry because we were having a great weekend," said Alcoba, whose Gresini team press release stated that McPhee had made 'a shameful and unacceptable reaction' to the incident.

Xavier Artegas, who brought McPhee and several others down in the opening Qatar race, had to serve a double long-lap penalty for his actions on Sunday, then was himself taken out by another rider.