MILLER INSISTS RULES APPLY TO ALL AS QUILES DEFENDS MARQUEZ’S KARTING ABSENCE

Moto3 champion Maximo Quiles has backed Marc Marquez’s decision to skip MotoGP’s promotional go-kart race at Motegi, arguing that the Ducati rider needs to prioritise his fitness while managing ongoing problems with his right arm and shoulder.

MotoGP staged the kart event before the Japanese Grand Prix as a replacement for the traditional riders’ parade. Pramac’s Jack Miller and Toprak Razgatlioglu supplied much of the spectacle: Miller took a shortcut through a car park and drove around the outside oval to get closer to fans, while Razgatlioglu drove in reverse with help from Raul Fernandez.

Marquez did not take part. Instead, he spent extra time on the bike in an extended warm-up and needed to ice his injured shoulder. MotoGP News reported that he sent a body double to compete in his place, prompting a telling-off from senior officials. Marquez said his priority as an athlete fighting for a championship had to be his condition. He went on to win the Japanese Grand Prix.

His absence angered MotoGP officials, who have since announced fines for riders who skip promotional commitments. The series has also said riders who fail to spend 10 minutes at the Hero Walk will be fined. The new penalties were communicated at the Indonesian Grand Prix, where many riders missed the fan event amid temperatures of 30°C at Mandalika.

Quiles, who regards Marquez as a mentor, told Mundo Deportivo that the decision made sense given the Spaniard’s condition. “I think it’s the right thing to do, given his current situation,” he said. “Ultimately, because of his injury, he cannot afford to let his guard down for a second.”

He acknowledged the value of entertainment away from the track, but said Marquez’s circumstances called for a different priority. “If he wants to perform at his best, he has to be 100% focused on himself all the time. For another rider, I think it’s perfect; the sport needs a show off the track. But for Marc’s current situation, I think it’s the right decision for him to make, and I would do the same.”

Miller, who was among the main attractions at Motegi, has defended the fines, arguing that riders should not decide individually whether to attend scheduled fan events. “If you’re supposed to be there, you have to be there,” he said. “I don’t think you can just decide on your own that you’re not going to go. What makes someone so special that they can leave while the rest of us have to go in? If we all leave, we look like idiots. Nobody is above the rules.”

He also argued that riders should receive more money as promotional demands grow. “At some point, they’ll have to start paying us riders more,” Miller said. “Because we’re doing more and more, and yet we’re getting paid less and less. That’s how it works.”

Miller has also maintained that racing is MotoGP’s main attraction. Discussing the 2027 format, he said: “The racing itself is the show. Us riding the bikes are the show.” Riders are entertainers, he added, but their entertainment is “racing a motorcycle”.

MotoGP has introduced several initiatives to improve the fan experience and broaden the championship’s appeal. Alongside the parade and kart event, riders are expected to spend 20 minutes meeting fans during the Hero Walk. The parade has also led to Moto2 and Moto3 losing their Sunday warm-up sessions. Some riders have criticised the penalties, saying race weekends are already becoming more stressful, particularly with changes planned for 2027. The fines put a financial cost on missing appearances, even as Quiles argues that Marquez’s injury management must come first.