Aprilia Boss Critical of MotoGP Stewards After Marquez/Bezzecchi Crash in Qatar
Ezpeleta said the criticism around the race left MotoGP unnecessarily exposed after Yamaha skipped the event and 19 riders signed a protest letter.
- On Saturday, Marc Marquez won the Qatar MotoGP sprint after colliding with Bezzecchi at Turn 1 on the fourth lap, eliminating his rival from championship contention and securing a title match point for Sunday.
- Rivola criticized FIM stewards for deeming the collision a racing incident, stating, "I have the same opinion 24 hours later as after 24 seconds," and arguing it deserved deeper analysis given the championship impact.
- Yamaha withdrew from the Qatar Grand Prix over internal travel policies, reducing the grid to 16 starters after injuries further depleted the field, while MotoGP Group had threatened sanctions against competitors.
- Carlos Ezpeleta, MotoGP chief, described the Yamaha situation as a "commercial contract that we cannot discuss publicly," suggesting "the noise created around the event" was unnecessary and communication requires improvement.
- Struggling with front tire pressure during the 22-lap grand prix, Pedro Acosta finished sixth after attributing issues to "other issues that we don't understand," forcing the KTM rider to cede podium places.
16 Articles
16 Articles
MotoGP sporting director Carlos Espeleta has spoken for the first time about the Yamaha situation and the possible sanctions the Japanese manufacturer could face for its decision not to participate in the Qatar Grand Prix. The Iwata-based company announced its intention to skip the 20th round of the season shortly after the final race in Malaysia. The main reason for this decision was the tense situation in the Middle East, as well as the manufa…
The 2026 Qatar MotoGP was completed without Yamaha, but the issue remains unresolved as the Japanese manufacturer still faces potential sanctions.
MotoGP boss Carlos Ezpeleta has revealed the latest developments regarding Yamaha's suspension after missing the Qatar MotoGP. The sanction decision is now under scrutiny following the controversy.
Yamaha has been the only manufacturer absent this weekend at the Qatar GP. In their day they decided that their four MotoGP riders would not participate in the grand prize: neither those of the official team, Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins, nor those of the Pramac satellite, Jack Miller and the substitute for Toprak Razgatlioglu, Augusto Fernández. In his press release, the fingerboard brand pointed out that "after his last assessment of the sit…
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