Márquez and Acosta challenge the pressure of MotoGP promotional duties

“They’re pushing us to the limit”: that is the message highlighted by Marc Márquez and Pedro Acosta as promotional duties multiply in MotoGP. The championship is expanding the events around its races, a change some riders consider increasingly demanding.

The strategy is partly driven by Liberty Media, the new owner, seeking to attract more fans, along the lines of what is done in F1. Marc Márquez had already voiced strong criticism on Saturday, after the Sprint: he was required to remain in his leathers for a podium segment after the event. He called the situation “inhuman”, after being seen sitting down or pouring water over his head.

Amid the growing tension, MotoGP has reportedly decided to impose financial penalties on riders who do not attend promotional events. That reported decision comes against a wider backdrop of criticism about the overall workload and the time available for recovery.

Pedro Acosta pointed to Marc Márquez’s decision not to take part in a kart race organised by MotoGP in Japan. Márquez had declined because he considered it a risk to his physical condition. Acosta also cited Raúl Fernández, who was expected to attend the Hero walk or the Mandalika parade after being injured in the Sprint.

Those examples have sharpened objections to a promotional schedule layered on top of sporting commitments. The riders’ challenge, as they see it, is to help the championship grow without adding to pressure that is already weighing on them. Marc Márquez’s criticism of MotoGP is becoming increasingly pointed, while the prospect of fines could intensify the debate over off-track obligations.