Ducati’s Tardozzi Speaks Out and Defends Marc Marquez: “The Others Lack Courage”
Controversy erupts in the paddock over the Qatar MotoGP case. Following the cancellation of the race in Australia, the issue of participating in the Losail race—at a time of serious international crisis—has taken center stage: the riders held an important meeting with the Safety Commission on Thursday, where Marc Marquez took the hardest line, openly opposing the race.
On Sunday, team manager Davide Tardozzi spoke to Sky to defend his rider against accusations that he was the sole dissenter: “As for Marc, he’s simply the most charismatic person, so many riders who express opinions outside—even ones much, much stronger than Marc’s—end up staying silent when they’re in a meeting with the organizer. And that’s just how it is; it’s not really worth getting worked up over. That said, Marquez ends up taking the heat because he’s the only one who speaks for all the other riders—he has the courage to speak out, unlike other riders who, as I’ve said time and again, say things far worse than he does.”
“He was smart enough to say, ‘Let’s try to mediate this, to put forward solutions that can guarantee an evacuation, a Plan B, and ensure all the necessary conditions are in place so we can ride safely.’ That’s what he asked for, but I’ll repeat that there were many others who said worse things but didn’t have the courage to repeat them to the organizer. That bothers me.”
“I read that the blame was placed on Marc as if he were the one who didn’t want to go to Qatar. That’s not the case; Marc simply asked—like many others—for a safety plan at the organizational level, nothing more, nothing less. He didn’t say, ‘I don’t want to go.’ And I’ll say it again—for the third time—that there were those who said they wouldn’t go, but then didn’t say it again in front of the organizer.”
On the situation in Losail: “There are circumstances that might lead one to think it would be better not to go. However, once the security conditions are in place—the evacuation plan, as well as assurances that if something happens there won’t be any problems—we’ll go.”
