What a bloody weekend the Italian GP gave to MotoGP fans. There were dramatic starts, crashes, end-of-race battles, and a display of supreme dominance that left onlookers in no doubt they’re watching the best MotoGP racer in the world. Well, it wasn’t the Italian GP that gave us that so much as the riders themselves, and therein lies the problem.
MotoGP lives and dies by the riders, and unfortunately, the same is true for the riders. MotoGP is a risky sport, and every time a rider takes to the track, they’re putting their life on the line. So, to boo a rider who has given you nothing but a clean and entertaining race is a discrace in my opinion. And that’s exactly what happened to Marc Marquez.
Marquez broke the lap record in qualifying, got pole position, realized there was a problem with his start setup just moments before the lights went out, and fell back to eighth position by the first corner. This was all in the sprint race, mind you, where the start is even more crucial due to a half race distance. Marquez didn’t just win the race, though, he cleanly minced the field and cruised to victory.
His reward from the fans was jeering whistles, like the ones that have followed him to every Italian GP since his major clash with Valentino Rossi a decade ago.
Folks, it’s old news, he’s racing for the biggest, best Italian manufacturer, and his teammate is arguably the top current Italian rider, and doesn’t have a bad word to say about him—show some respect, and not because he’s Marc Marquez, but because he’s a rider who gave it his all for you to watch at the weekend.
Thankfully, Davide Tardozzi, the Ducati Factory team manager, stepped up, came out to the stands to show the fans his displeasure, and tried to put an end to the jeering.
Later, Tardozzi said, “I believe that anti-sportsmanship is no longer justifiable, still tied to the events of 10 years ago. I believe that the time has come to move on and look forward, especially for Marc and Valentino, and to convey positive messages. Yesterday, Marc had an exceptional race. I really appreciated those who shouted ‘Pecco Pecco’ under the podium despite not having won, but having still done a good race, finishing third. If you don’t like Marc, just don’t applaud, but in my opinion, the whistles are absolutely unsportsmanlike.”
It’s hard to put it better than Tardozzi, who essentially said cheer for your rider, regardless of whether they win. Those are the fans you want. But save your boos for when they’re warrented because one day they will be. Needless to say, I’m delighted Marc went on to win the main race on Sunday after what he faced on Saturday.
