Ironically, the weekend that should have gone down in history as an era of concord – following the announcement of a historic agreement between the manufacturers and the promoter – will end up tattooed on the collective memory due to a much less fraternal, infinitely more unpleasant sequence.
Until now, Brno had hosted historic milestones such as Valentino Rossi‘s first-ever world championship win (1996), the ‘Doctor’s’ first coronation (1997), or KTM’s maiden victory in the premier class courtesy of Brad Binder (2020). Since this Saturday, however, this fabulous circuit will also be remembered for one of the most regrettable episodes in recent times: the two slaps that Marco Bezzecchi delivered to the marshal who attempted to rescue his bike from the gravel, right after the Italian crashed out with two laps remaining in the sprint race.
While recovering the Aprilia, the track worker inadvertently grabbed the throttle, causing it to rev up – though not nearly as much as Bezzecchi’s temper. In a fit of rage, the rider shoved the poor man away with a slap before landing another one for good measure as he headed toward the service road.
Later in the evening, during his media debriefs, the championship leader appeared deeply dejected, though at that point it was difficult to decipher whether his low mood stemmed from recording his fourth consecutive zero in a sprint race, or if there was something deeper weighing on him. The doubt was cleared minutes before 8:00 PM, when the FIM stewards panel announced the disqualification of the #72 for the physical assault.
Three hours later, the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) Appeal Committee issued a statement revealing that Aprilia had appealed the penalty, while simultaneously confirming that the appeal had been dismissed given the clear evidence and gravity of the incident.
On Sunday morning, all eyes were fixed on Bezzecchi and Aprilia. The rider issued a public apology to the marshal, his team, and the championship via a message posted on his social media accounts. This logical gesture was followed by a personal visit to the post where the marshal who had absorbed his right hands was stationed. The two shared a hug, and, ironically, Bezzecchi gifted him a pair of gloves.
Coincidentally, the circuit cameras had the ‘fortune’ of focusing exactly on that spot at that precise moment. It is certainly striking that while the championship’s official platform prominently features Bezzecchi’s redemption – including a video of the marshal describing how he experienced the resolution – the actual catalyst of the event, the footage of the physical blows, is nowhere to be found, despite being broadcast by all rights-holding television channels.
Shortly afterwards, it was Aprilia’s turn to speak through Massimo Rivola, the CEO of its racing division. The Italian executive’s perspective was highly relevant, arriving just two weeks after the collision triggered by Jorge Martin at Balaton Park, which took out both Bezzecchi and Raul Fernandez at the opening corner after Martin misjudged his braking.
Massimo Rivola: “This is not the behaviour a world champion should display”
Photo by: Aprilia Racing
For that miscalculation, stewards handed Martin a double long-lap penalty, which he served this Sunday – a punishment Rivola previously deemed overly lenient.
“I wouldn’t have disagreed if the penalty had been harsher. This is not the behaviour a world champion should display,” the former Ferrari and Toro Rosso sporting director remarked at the time.
Following the incident with Bezzecchi, the head of Aprilia Racing had a prime opportunity to lead by example and deliver an unequivocal message against actions of incomparable proportions – actions that in other sports disciplines would have resulted in vastly more severe punishments. In football, a player committing a similar assault could easily face a season-long ban. In Formula 1, Max Verstappen was handed community service twice: once for confronting and pushing Esteban Ocon, and another time for using profanity in a press conference.
Rivola, however, chose to compromise. On one hand, he condemned his rider’s behaviour: “We apologise to the marshal, we accept the penalty, and as a team, we do not tolerate this type of behaviour from our rider,” he stated. Yet, immediately after, his tone turned significantly softer, bordering on condescending, as he attempted to justify Aprilia’s decision to appeal: “We chose to appeal because we believed the penalty was disproportionate to the action committed, and because virtually non-existent penalties were applied to cases of a similar nature in the past.”
Even more surprising was his reasoning regarding the difficult night Bezzecchi endured: “Marco didn’t sleep all night because of what he did. I don’t sleep if I slap my son when he deserves it, so imagine how a good-hearted person like him feels after reacting this way to someone who didn’t deserve it. That said, these are gestures that cannot happen because the rules are what they are now, and it is right that they are enforced.”
At this stage, it is crucial not to get distracted. Rivola and Aprilia’s deep commitment to the Rimini rider is entirely logical from a sporting standpoint. Bezzecchi is fully aware of this support, having received endless proof of it. However, that should not stand in the way of expressing total, unmitigated condemnation of what occurred. Ultimately, neither the Noale-based manufacturer can afford such damage to its brand image, nor can a championship currently in the midst of a massive global expansion.
MotoGP aims to captivate the world through the pure spectacle its riders deliver on track, not through the deeply embarrassing displays witnessed on Saturday.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: motorsport.com
