The Japanese GP programme included a karting race between MotoGP riders on Sunday morning, but Marc Marquez skipped the event and sent a body double in his place, earning a stern reprimand from the championship.
Days before the MotoGP paddock arrived in Japan, the championship began promoting a new addition to the weekend schedule: a kart race featuring the riders.
However, Saturday’s tyre problems put the event in doubt, with teams requesting an extension to Sunday morning’s Warm Up session shortly before it was due to take place. In the end, the organisers rearranged the schedule to accommodate a longer session, the kart race and the traditional parade lap.
The kart race turned into something of a comedy show, with Pramac riders Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jack Miller entertaining the crowd with their antics behind the wheel, while Thailand’s Somkiat Chantra took victory by beating Pedro Acosta to the finish line.
But it was Marc Marquez’s appearance in his helmet and gloves that attracted the most attention, raising suspicions among some of his fellow riders, particularly Jorge Martín, whose kart was positioned next to Marquez’s.
The Aprilia rider tried to lift Márquez’s visor to see if it was really him, but the Ducati rider avoided the attempt. An IRTA member also tried to establish whether Marquez was actually present, but he again avoided revealing himself, making it increasingly clear that something was going on.
After the extended 20-minute Warm Up session, Marquez had to undergo a physiotherapy session and put his right arm on ice, as he usually does. At the last moment, he therefore decided to skip the kart race. Instead, a body double was sent in his place — although the plan did not work quite as well as hoped.
“There is a bit of a line, obviously I understand the show, but we are fighting for the championship, we’re not here to mess around or go around in kart races,” Márquez said after winning the Japanese GP race.
“After the warm up I needed ice (on my right arm), and someone came out and said it would be cool to send a doppelganger, and we did it,” he explained the idea.
“They told me off,” he added, confirming the reprimand. “But at this moment you have to be selfish and perform at your maximum when it matters, which is in the races,” he justified his decision.
Interestingly, the person who spotted the switch and realised there was a doppelganger in Marquez’s place was championship leader Jorge Martín, who is also fighting the Ducati rider for the title.
“I spotted it quickly, I knew it wasn’t Marc,” said the points leader. “But well, I also understand it. When they told us about the event, I wasn’t entirely convinced either.
“These guys are very crazy, and any hit from behind or whatever can leave you affected for the race. So I quickly got out of the way at Turn 1 and ended up with the slow ones.”
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