Ducati MotoGP boss urges Marc Marquez, Valentino Rossi “to shake hands” and move on

Ducati MotoGP team boss Davide Tardozzi has urged Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi “to shake hands” and move on from their feud.

Tardozzi’s comments come a day after he was captured by DAZN publicly chastising booing fans on the pit straight following Marc Marquez winning the sprint.

Italy has been hostile ground for Marc Marquez since he and Valentino Rossi fell out spectacularly during the 2015 season when Rossi accused the Spaniard of sabotaging his title hopes.

The pair have maintained a fractious relationship since.

In 2018, Rossi publicly refused to shake Marquez’s hand in a press conference, with the former repeating his thoughts over the years that the latter stole the 2015 title from him.

Following the sprint, Marquez received a chorus of boos and whistles from a small portion of the crowd, which Tardozzi has now told Sky Sports Italy he considers “unsportsmanlike”.

He has also urged fans to move on from 2015 and for Rossi and Marquez to “shake hands” to put their feud behind them.

“I think unsportsmanlike behaviour is no longer justified when it’s related to events of 10 years ago,” Tardozzi told Sky.

“The time has come to turn the page and look forward, especially for Marc and Valentino, and to send positive messages.

“Yesterday, Marc had an exceptional race. I was very grateful to those who shouted ‘Pecco, Pecco [for third-placed Pecco Bagnaia]’, even though we didn’t win.

“But Bagnaia still had a good races and finished third.

“If you don’t like Marc, just don’t clap, but in my opinion whistling is absolutely unsportsmanlike.

“I don’t want to go back to the incident of 10 years ago, whose fault it was: for me, it’s 50/50.

“But after all this time, two super champions like Vale and Marc should look forward and I would like them to shake hands, since the past can no longer be changed.”

Marquez noted on Saturday that the negative reception he has received at Mugello has been less this year than in previous seasons, now he is a factory Ducati rider.

Tardozzi is not the first Ducati team member to address fans booing Marquez in Italy, with Pecco Bagnaia shaking a finger at the crowd at Misano last season when the No.93 won the San Marino Grand Prix.