Ducati defends Marc Marquez: “He has the courage to speak out; other riders stay silent”

Is Marquez against racing at Lusail? Tardozzi explains in detail the reigning MotoGP champion’s position and takes a subtle jab.

The Qatar Grand Prix has been confirmed and, barring any surprises, the MotoGP teams will fly to Doha after next weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix. Given the period of severe instability and rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, many believe it would be unwise to race at the Lusail International Circuit.

At Phillip Island, the MotoGP riders met to discuss the issue and also revive the idea of forming an association that would give them a greater say in decisions made by the championship’s top brass. Their lives are at stake, so it is only natural that they want to have more of a voice when it comes to safety.

On the question of going to Qatar, some riders have made it clear that they are against it, while others have preferred not to answer or have given “diplomatic” responses. Marc Marquez has not spoken out publicly, but he has personally sought specific safeguards and assurances from MotoGP Group and the FIM, who are in constant contact with the Qatari authorities.

Speaking to Sky Sport MotoGP, Davide Tardozzi addressed Marquez’s role in this sensitive situation: “There are many riders who publicly express much stronger opinions than Marc’s, but then stay quiet at the meeting in front of the organiser. Marquez is being made the scapegoat because he is the only one speaking on behalf of all the other riders and has the courage to speak up, unlike some of his fellow riders. I’ll say it again: some have said much worse things than he has, while he was intelligent enough to suggest trying to find a compromise and securing guarantees to race safely in Qatar. That is what he asked for. Others said worse things and didn’t have the courage to repeat them in front of the organiser. That bothers me”.

The Ducati team manager also defended his rider in light of reports portraying him as a kind of leader of the opposition to racing at Lusail: “Marc has been made the scapegoat as if he were the one who didn’t want to go to Qatar. That’s not the case; he and others simply asked for an organisational safety plan. He never said he didn’t want to go there”.

It is understandable that there are concerns about going to Qatar, but Tardozzi points out that the reigning MotoGP champion has never taken a firm stance on the issue: “There are circumstances that might make you think it would be better not to go, but he told us that if the safety conditions and all the necessary guarantees are in place, then we can go”.

The Qatar GP is scheduled for the weekend of November 6–8, but it was originally due to take place on April 10–12. It was postponed specifically for safety reasons. Before racing at Lusail, the MotoGP circus will head to the Malaysian GP at Sepang, where Jorge Martin’s participation is still uncertain. The Aprilia rider was injured in a crash during the sprint race at Phillip Island and does not know whether he will be able to ride his RS-GP26.

The cancellation of the main race in Australia due to poor visibility caused by bad weather deprived Marquez of the chance to extend his lead in the standings, where he currently leads Martinator by 10 points. He will try to do so at Sepang: even if his rival is on the grid, he would still not be in peak physical condition. In any case, the Ducati rider will have a chance to gain points on him.

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