Ducati MotoGP team boss Davide Tardozzi believes the penalty that cost Marc Marquez victory in the Thai Grand Prix sprint was “unfair” because there was no contact with Pedro Acosta.
The 13-lap sprint at Buriram to open the 2026 season proved to be a dramatic one, with reigning champion Marc Marquez battling hard with Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi, and then KTM’s Pedro Acosta.
Polesitter Bezzecchi crashed out on the second lap while leading, opening the door for Acosta to go for his maiden sprint win.
The KTM rider and Marquez battled hard, with most of their moves coming at the final corners.
The decisive one came on the penultimate lap when Acosta was leading, with Marquez making an aggressive overtake that forced the KTM rider off the circuit.
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The FIM stewards then awarded Marquez with a drop-one-position penalty, handing victory to Acosta.
Marc Marquez passes Pedro Acosta, 2026 Thai MotoGP Sprint.
© Gold and Goose
Ducati fumes at penalty as Marquez stays tight-lipped
Speaking to the world feed broadcast immediately after the sprint, Ducati boss Davide Tardozzi said: “I think that we saw a lot of these kind of overtakes.
“Marc didn’t touch Pedro. He didn’t go out of the race track. So, I think it’s unfair.”
Many are now viewing this as a preview to the 2027 season, when Marquez and Acosta are set to become team-mates, though Tardozzi moved to diffuse any tension.
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“They are intelligent guys who want to win races, so Marc and Pedro know exactly this kind of job and I think it will be absolutely not a problem.
“I’m sure that Pedro in the opposite position would do the same.”
Marquez declined to get drawn into any real criticism of his penalty, simply stating: “In my opinion, race direction [the stewards] decided. So, just, I followed the rules.”
On his race, he added: “When I saw Bezzecchi crash, then I just slowed the race down.
“I was just trying to control it.
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“I know that this championship is super long and it’s what I tried to do: control the pace of the race, and every time Pedro overtook me, I overtook straight away on the next corner.
“But, unfortunately, I got that penalty. But nine points, first race, after the injury, is not bad. I’m happy.”
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