MOTOGP PROMOTIONAL PENALTIES SPARK WARNING OF RIDER SHOWDOWN

MotoGP’s push to stage promotional activities has opened a dispute over what can happen when riders do not take part. The latest events include a tuk-tuk race in Thailand, a go-kart contest in Japan and a mini-truck parade in Australia. Riders have questioned the demands, and the issue escalated after Marc Marquez missed the kart event at Motegi.

Marquez was nursing his right arm and needed to ice it ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. A body double took his place. He later argued that MotoGP could attract new fans through other means. The championship first announced a €5,000 fine for riders who skip promotional appearances; it has since confirmed that repeat offences could also bring grid penalties.

Journalist Mat Oxley condemned the prospect of sporting sanctions, calling them “completely unacceptable” and “absolutely outrageous”. Speaking on the Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast, he suggested MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group deputy CEO Carlos Ezpeleta was seeking a confrontation with the riders. Oxley noted that the fines were announced one weekend and grid penalties the next, and said riders were beginning to recognise the need to unite and defend their rights.

Oxley also cautioned against attributing the policy solely to new owner Liberty Media. In his view, MotoGP remains run by the same leadership, with Carmelo Ezpeleta moving into the background and his son Carlos now running the show.

Podcast guest Peter Bom agreed that the dispute could end in a collision. He said Marquez’s absence had angered the organisers, but stressed that the rider had a strong reason to sit out. Bom, who said he had owned a go-kart, pointed out that karting can put strain on the hands and wrists—precisely the areas Marquez needed to protect.

The row has revived discussion of a riders’ union. Carmelo Ezpeleta previously warned that a union would damage MotoGP, but the prospect of penalties for missing promotional events has prompted renewed talk of riders organising. Bom said the response to Marquez’s Motegi absence helped explain why riders may now be trying to come together.