The “selfish” reason behind Marc Marquez’s Japanese MotoGP stunt double

Marc Marquez admits it was “selfish” for him to use a body double in the pre-race event at the Japanese MotoGP, but feels that it is necessary for him at the moment.

Marquez would go on to win the Japanese MotoGP from second on the grid, securing another 37-point maximum for the weekend as he reduced his points deficit to Jorge Martin to two.

Before the race there was a go-kart race for the riders. Somkiat Chantra won ahead of Pedro Acosta.

Martin also took part, as did the overwhelming majority of the grid. But Marquez did not, the Ducati Lenovo Team rider having a body double replace him on the grid instead.

Speaking after the race, Marquez suggested the event was inappropriate at this stage of the season and that for him the focus needed to be on performing at his best in the race amid his title battle with Martin.

“There’s a bit of a fine line,” said Marc Marquez, as reported by Motorsport.com.

“Obviously I get the show, but we’re fighting for the championship, not for a bit of fun and go-karts doing laps. 

“For the Warm-Up, I said I needed ice, and one of the team members came out and said it’d be cool if a stunt double turned up. 

“It was a bit of a ‘hold my drink’ moment, and they caught on.”

Marquez added that it was a “selfish” but necessary decision for him to make.

“I have to prioritise,” he said.

“I’ve had a telling-off, but that’s the way it is.

“Right now we have to be selfish and perform at our best when it counts, which is in the races.”

MotoGP has also held pre-race events at other circuits. The tuktuk race at Buriram at the start of the season proved especially popular. The concept is similar to one Formula One has adopted on multiple occasions, most notably with the Lego kart races it’s had pre-race at Miami and Silverstone.