The upcoming Qatar Grand Prix is going ahead as scheduled, according to Alex Marquez. Speaking on Thursday ahead of this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix, the Gresini Racing rider revealed that organizers are pushing forward with the event despite competitors asking for guarantees before traveling to Doha. As Motorsport.com Italia reports, the Spanish rider appeared somewhat demoralized when addressing the media regarding the situation.
When asked what had changed concerning Qatar since his previous media appearance at Phillip Island the weekend before, Marquez admitted the situation remained completely unclear. "Nessuno lo sa. Nessuno conosce la situazione. Quindi penso che non sia cambiato nulla. Ma, sapete, sembra che il GP sia confermato e basta," he said, noting that nothing appeared to have shifted. Like other riders on Thursday, Marquez declined to comment on the specifics of any ongoing meetings or demands behind the scenes, offering only a brief "Non posso parlare di quella storia" when questioned about whether the riders had received the assurances they wanted.
Ma penso che questa volta, con quello che sta accadendo, penso che tutti abbiano capito che ne abbiamo bisogno. E vedremo come sarà il futuro,
That sense of frustration was stark when the conversation turned to the influence of the grid itself. Confronted directly on whether the riders held any sway, Marquez delivered a blunt and defeated assessment. "Al momento, nessun potere," he stated without hesitation.
Despite the immediate powerlessness regarding Doha, Marquez expressed genuine optimism about the long-term solidarity among his peers. Pointing to past attempts to organize following previous efforts in India a few months prior, he sensed a real shift in momentum. "Ma penso che questa volta, con quello che sta accadendo, penso che tutti abbiano capito che ne abbiamo bisogno. E vedremo come sarà il futuro," he explained, noting that the current climate has finally united the grid.
Looking ahead to his own timeline in the sport, Marquez acknowledged he might not personally reap the full rewards of such an organization. Having stated he is 30 years old with perhaps four years left in MotoGP, his focus is firmly on the generation coming up behind him. "Ma per i giovani, sono davvero contento perché penso che possano trarne molto," he said.
