Davide Tardozzi instructed Marc Marquez to hide one thing from the media after Thailand Grand Prix

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Marc Marquez was expected to cruise to victory in Sunday’s Thailand Grand Prix. While he maintained control of the race, he was forced to relinquish the lead.

Marquez realised that his front tyre pressure was outside the permitted window. He tried to get it back up with a firmer application of the front brake, but it didn’t work.

Seven laps in, he deliberately slowed down on the run to turn three and allowed his younger brother Alex to pass. Hovering behind the Gresini rider, he knew the pressure would climb up – ensuring he avoided a penalty.

It was a risky strategy, bringing teammate Francesco Bagnaia into range. But Bagnaia said it was impossible to sustain an attack in searing temperatures at the Chang International Circuit.

With three laps to go, Marquez felt he was safe and he duly swept past his younger sibling to retake the lead. His 1.7-second gap at the flag offers a glimpse into the pace he had in reserve.

Marquez finished the weekend with the maximum haul of 37 points. Ducati amassed 60 as a team, already nearly doubling the haul of second-place Gresini.

What Davide Tardozzi whispered in Marc Marquez’s ear after Thailand Grand Prix win

As noted by Marca, Ducati’s Davide Tardozzi ‘caught a lot of attention’ after the race by whispering in Marquez’s ear. He covered his mouth so lip-readers couldn’t work out what he was saying.

Some suggested that Tardozzi was telling Marquez to rein in the celebrations. While he’s established himself as the strong title favourite, there are still 21 rounds remaining.

But in reality, the report reveals that Tardozzi instructed his rider ‘not to go into detail’ on the tyre-pressure issue. He knew that the media were bound to ask questions.

The Italian wanted time to investigate. They were fortunate that Marquez had a commanding pace advantage, otherwise it could have cost them the race.

Luigi Dall’Igna’s controversial kiss on Marc Marquez bike wasn’t what it seemed

Between now and the next race in Argentina, Tardozzi will focus his attention on Bagnaia. Marquez already looks serenely comfortable on the motorcycle.

But Bagnaia took a ‘knock-out’ punch in the first round, Neil Hodgson says. He might need psychological support as well as engineering advice.

First and foremost, Bagnaia must beat Alex Marquez. If he’s losing out to GP24 riders or external threats, then Marquez could be allowed to build a big lead.

Ducati boss Luigi Dall’Igna shocked Italy by planting a kiss on Marquez’s bike in parc ferme. However, observers have revealed that, off-camera, he kissed the other two bikes as well.