According to Motorsport.com, Marc Marquez is convinced that MotoGP riders will eventually establish a collective representative body much like Formula 1's GPDA, despite a history of failed attempts to unite the grid. The ongoing debate over the championship's format changes for next season has once again exposed a shared frustration among the competitors: they simply do not have enough of a say in how their own race weekends are run.
MotoGP and the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) confirmed the schedule adjustments, which introduce a dedicated qualifying session for the sprint races. Unsurprisingly, this has split the paddock. Francesco Bagnaia and Luca Marini have welcomed the shift as interesting, but Marc Marquez leads a different camp arguing that the new timetable will only pile on extra stress and risk for riders already operating on the edge from Thursday through Sunday. Yet, as the Ducati rider noted during the official press conference at Mandalika, knowing the objective changes little when decisions come down from above.
Indeed, the lack of agency has left riders feeling resigned. Pedro Acosta put it bluntly, stating that the teams and the organisation make the choices and you either accept them or leave. Alex Marquez fully aligned himself with his brother's view, noting that the riders had nothing to do with the decision. Carlos Ezpeleta, the championship's deputy CEO, did explain the change to the four riders present at a Safety Commission meeting at Motegi, but Marc Marquez did not attend.
While opinions on the schedule vary wildly, there is total agreement on one thing: the riders are partly to blame for their lack of influence because they have failed to organise. Formula 1 has successfully run the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) since 1961, currently chaired by Alexander Wurz with directors Carlos Sainz and George Russell. MotoGP has tried and failed to build its own equivalent over the past three years. Sylvain Guintoli even spearheaded a formal setup process at the end of 2023, but the project stalled because several riders balked at the potential operating costs.
Marc Marquez, despite being one of the most experienced and influential figures on the grid, does not see himself leading such an effort while he still wears a helmet. While you are an active rider, it is impossible to lead a riders' commission, according to the Ducati rider. He also pointed to the youthful average age of the MotoGP grid as a hurdle, noting that everyone looks after their own interests and people can be selfish. Even so, he believes time and maturity will change that mindset as everyone eventually realizes they share the same goals of safety, longevity, and speed. Sooner or later, the association will be formed, as happens in Formula 1.
