TARDOZZI DEFENDS MARQUEZ AND CALLS OUT RIDERS WHO STAY SILENT ON QATAR

Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi has defended Marc Marquez after the reigning MotoGP champion was criticised for declining to give a clear view on the planned Qatar Grand Prix. With the race scheduled for November 6-8 and conflict in the Middle East continuing, riders have been seeking assurances that the event can be held safely. MotoGP has maintained that the race will go ahead as planned, although the event is in jeopardy and there is little enthusiasm for it in parts of the paddock.

A private riders’ meeting took place during the Australian Grand Prix weekend, followed by calls for organisers to provide guarantees. When asked about Qatar at Phillip Island on Thursday, Marquez chose not to comment. His silence was interpreted by some as a sign that he did not want to race there, and prompted speculation that riders had been told what to say by MotoGP promoter Dorna.

Tardozzi rejected that reading, telling Sky Italy that Marquez had helped represent the riders’ concerns and had asked for practical safeguards, including an evacuation arrangement and a contingency plan. He described the Ducati rider as “quite intelligent” for seeking a way to address the situation rather than simply refusing to go.

“As for Marc, he’s simply the most charismatic person,” Tardozzi said. He argued that some riders had made much stronger public statements but then stayed quiet when speaking directly to organisers. That, he said, made the discussions ineffective. Marquez, by contrast, had the “courage to speak out” on behalf of other riders, Tardozzi said, and was left taking the blame despite asking for a compromise.

Tardozzi was particularly frustrated that Marquez had been blamed for the Qatar uncertainty. “Marc simply asked, like many others, for an organisational safety plan, no more, no less,” he said. “He didn’t say, ‘I don’t want to go.’” He said Marquez had proposed finding “a middle ground” with an evacuation plan, a Plan B and the necessary conditions for riders to compete safely.

He added that some riders had said they would not travel to Qatar, only to avoid repeating that position in front of the organisers. “That annoys me,” Tardozzi said, criticising the gap between what riders say publicly and what they are prepared to raise in the meeting.

The riders’ views are not uniform: Pecco Bagnaia has called for assurances that a solution can be found, while Fabio Quartararo has said he is willing to race in Qatar if Formula 1 goes ahead with its event there on November 29. Ducati, Honda and Yamaha are also expected to object to racing in Qatar.

The uncertainty has championship consequences too. After the Australian Grand Prix was cancelled because of poor weather, cancelling Qatar would remove 74 points from the 2026 title fight. The debate therefore centres not only on whether the race will proceed, but on what assurances will be required before riders travel. Tardozzi’s account presents Marquez’s position as a call for a clear safety plan, rather than opposition to the event itself.