Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi has calmly brushed off recent claims and speculations regarding potential team orders being considered by Aprilia in the ongoing premier class championship battle. The topic gained traction ahead of the Australian Grand Prix weekend, with the title fight tightening significantly with just a handful of rounds remaining.
Coming into the crucial weekend at Phillip Island, Jorge Martin holds a slender two-point advantage at the top of the standings over his closest rival, Marc Marquez, with five rounds left on the calendar. Although Martin managed to outperform his competitor at the previous Indonesian Grand Prix, he still crossed the finish line behind other riders from the Noale factory.
That dynamic sparked widespread questions regarding the implementation of team orders to aid championship aspirations, talks which only intensified after all riders and senior management from both squads were spotted attending a scheduled meeting on Thursday at the circuit.
Addressing the gathering, Aprilia team boss Paolo Bonora insisted that the meeting was entirely standard procedure for the Italian manufacturer during a race weekend. He clarified that no direct team orders were discussed during the sit-down, though riders were strongly urged to exercise caution around each other following previous on-track clashes earlier in the season.
Elaborating further on the team's internal discussions, Bonora stated on the world feed, "The clear thing is that we have to keep in mind that we are in a special part of the season, that we have to take care about each single session, each single movement on track." He added that management wants all of their riders fighting at the front rather than imposing strict pre-determined hierarchies.
However, Bonora acknowledged that circumstances could potentially change as the title fight reaches its climax. "At the moment, we haven't defined anything regarding this. But it's the first time we can achieve something very special and it will be not very smart if we have something clear, so one point, two points, five points difference, and there is the possibility, why not? But at the moment, no clear rider orders," he explained.
Meanwhile, the Borgo Panigale camp remains unfazed by the psychological chatter. Marquez previously dismissed the necessity of team orders on Thursday, succinctly noting that if a rider is fast enough out on track, outside assistance simply is not required.
Echoing his rider's pragmatic approach, Tardozzi made it clear that Ducati's primary objective is pure pace and performance rather than relying on external manipulations. Responding to Aprilia's remarks, Tardozzi stated, "I would like to use what Marc said: if you are fast, you don't need help. So, that's it. They can do whatever they want. We are trying to focus only to be fast on track. We know our opponents are very strong, but in the end we are looking only at having the best results for Marc. And that's it."
As the championship battle enters its most critical phase, the psychological and tactical chess match between the premier class heavyweights continues to escalate under the spotlight of the world championship.
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