In the context of the MotoGP championship, Marc Márquez has thrown a hint at his rival Jorge Martín, stating that “if you’re fast, you don’t need team orders”. This declaration arises at a time of great competition between the two riders, who are battling for the world title.
Márquez, who followed Martín during the qualifying session for the GP of Indonesia, aims to destabilize the Ducati rider, a strategy that proved fruitful, as Márquez managed to qualify in fourth position, just ahead of the Aprilia.
Both stars of two wheels finished the competition in Mandalika with a tie in points, remaining just two points apart in the overall standings. Ahead of the next Grand Prix in Australia, Márquez took advantage of a question about Ducati’s team orders to pressure Martín.
Since his return from shoulder surgery, Márquez has routinely been the first of the Ducati riders to cross the finish line, establishing himself as the only rider from the manufacturer capable of fighting for the win. This makes the use of team orders ineffective, as Alex Márquez also recognized, adding that “it’s too early” to consider this strategy.
On the other hand, Aprilia faces the challenge of managing a team with four fast riders. Recently, in Indonesia, the brand achieved a historic result with a 1-2-3-4, where all their riders finished ahead of the others. Martín, the current championship leader, lost nine important points, finishing in third position.
Marco Bezzecchi, who holds second place in the standings, does not believe team orders will influence his competition. “I don’t give them much importance right now. If they tell us something, we’ll listen and see how to act,” he commented.
In this regard, Aprilia has made it clear that it may need to consider implementing team orders in the future, although it has not specified when that would be. Márquez, for his part, is aware that he must face the challenge of competing primarily against the Aprilia riders on his own.
At a press conference ahead of the GP of Australia, Márquez reaffirmed his stance on the matter: “I will always say that we are a team and I will do what I can for Ducati. As for team orders, if you have speed, you don’t need them. You need them if you don’t have it,” a clear allusion to his rivalry with Martín.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
