TARDOZZI EXPECTS MARQUEZ TO ATTACK AS MARTIN TARGETS SEPANG RETURN

Marc Marquez left Phillip Island with a 10-point lead over Jorge Martin, but Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi says the MotoGP title fight remains open after a weekend shaped by a crash, injury and a cancelled Grand Prix.

Martin arrived at the final Australian weekend two points ahead of Marquez. The Ducati rider then claimed pole by almost 1.5 seconds, before the pair fought for the lead in the Sprint. Their duel ended when Martin crashed on lap eight of 13, fracturing his right wrist. Initial examinations indicate the bone is not displaced, and surgery is not currently thought necessary, although the injury could take months to heal fully. Marquez won the Sprint and moved to the top of the standings for the third time this season.

The Sunday race was cancelled because poor visibility meant the medical helicopter could not fly between the circuit and a Melbourne hospital. That left Marquez without the chance to extend his advantage, while giving Martin’s title hopes a lifeline. The cancellation also prompted questions about whether the decision could have been avoided, given forecasts earlier in the weekend.

Martin is expected to travel to Sepang for a fitness test with championship doctors. If cleared, he could race just six days after the crash, but the wrist’s mobility and his ability to control the bike remain concerns. His physiotherapist, Aitor Tomas, said the immediate priorities are reducing inflammation and restoring movement, followed by strengthening the bone. If Martin is allowed to ride, Tomas said, “we’ll apply a different protocol than the one we use with him under normal conditions,” focusing on swelling and pain management. His wrist is expected to be supported with elastic tape, while Alpinestars will modify his right glove to reduce discomfort.

Aprilia say they will support Martin’s decision and will not pressure him to race. “We’ll have to take it day by day, see how Jorge is doing as the hours and days go by,” a team spokesperson said. “No one needs to tell him what’s at stake, because he knows perfectly well. That’s why we’re not pressuring him at all. Whatever he decides will be the right thing for us. In these cases, health comes first.”

Tardozzi said Ducati had lost an opportunity, but backed putting safety first. “That's ahead of everything: sport, business and whatever,” he said, recalling that he had already lost a rider’s career at Phillip Island in 1998 with Carl Fogarty. “If the decision is for safety, we have to cancel.”

He also felt Aprilia had been unlucky. Rain on Saturday morning erased its dry-weather advantage in qualifying, while Marco Bezzecchi climbed from the fourth row to fourth in the Sprint. Martin, Tardozzi said, was “very, very competitive” before his mistake. He thought the duel with Marquez could have continued to the finish, adding: “I don't know if Marc was able to beat him.”

Journalist Mat Oxley praised the spectacle of the Sprint, saying the title rivals were “properly going at it” for the first time. He called it “awesome” that Martin “went down fighting” against Marquez, even while acknowledging that the Aprilia rider might have been better served by choosing his moment. Oxley said the championship was now “Marc’s to lose.”

Tardozzi praised the 2024 champion as “a hero” and expects Martin to fight hard if fit enough to race: “He is a fast rider, so he will try his best to give us a hard life.” Marquez’s Sprint performance impressed the Ducati manager, though he believes the Spaniard’s best race is still to come. Tardozzi said Marquez was managing the contest while pushing at the limit, and reacted immediately when Martin passed because he knew the Aprilia rider could escape if left alone.

The Crash MotoGP Podcast also examined whether Martin had been forced into the error that caused his injury, and whether Marquez’s earlier comments about team orders played a part. With four rounds remaining and uncertainty over how many races Martin might miss, the podcast discussed whether the title contest was effectively over. It also reported that riders had held a private meeting at Phillip Island and were seeking assurances from MotoGP that the Qatar race would go ahead, with a decision deadline approaching.

Marquez is expected to keep attacking over the final four rounds. Tardozzi predicted three remaining circuits would suit Aprilia and one could favour Ducati, but said having Marquez gave his team confidence. Bezzecchi is 50 points behind and, Tardozzi said, could still win every remaining race. Aprilia lead the teams’ standings by 139 points, but are only six ahead of Ducati in the constructors’ championship. Martin’s injury will be crucial to his competitiveness at Sepang and Qatar; Marquez could theoretically clinch the title in Qatar if Martin misses Malaysia.

The championship resumes at Sepang, followed by Qatar, Portimao and Valencia. Marquez has the lead, but Ducati is not treating the title as settled.