Marco Bezzecchi
In an effort to dissuade MotoGP riders from unionising, Carmelo Ezpeleta sent a stern warning about what would happen to the sport.
Since the recent sale of MotoGP to Liberty Media, Carmelo Ezpeleta has been frustrated with riders over the demands they have been making.
The CEO of MotoGP Sports Group has long been an advocate against the riders forming a union, fearing what it could do to the organisation’s bargaining power.
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While there are concerns about how Liberty Media will handle rider complaints compared to Ezpeleta, the former MotoGP boss has had moments when he has been tough on the riders.
In fact, when seeing MotoGP riders attempt to form a union 20 years ago, Carmelo Ezpeleta reportedly sent a massive warning to them.
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Carmelo Ezpeleta told MotoGP riders a union would do damage to the sport
While speaking to Nico Abad, Spanish MotoGP analyst Diego Lacave revealed how Carmelo Ezpeleta shut down an attempt from the MotoGP riders to form a union.
Over 20 years ago, Ezpeleta confronted the riders and told them that forming a riders’ union would ruin MotoGP within just one season.
“Carmelo looked the riders in the eyes, and he told them: ‘If MotoGP depends on all of you, then this sport would be ruined in one season.’ This is what I heard Carmelo told the riders nearly 20 years ago.”
Ezpeleta likely didn’t want the riders to form a union to ensure that any business ventures he explored for MotoGP wouldn’t be held back by decisions made by the riders.
But for him to make such a strong statement to riders over a possible union must have been a frightening moment.
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MotoGP riders face challenge of working under Liberty Media
For all of Ezpeleta’s flaws as the CEO of MotoGP Sports Group, there was a belief that his motorsport experience, especially as a motorcycle rider, gave him an understanding of how to work with MotoGP riders.
However, with Liberty Media, that isn’t the case. There is a concern that Liberty Media want MotoGP riders to be like F1 drivers, even though the two sports and their overall structures are different.
And with Liberty Media pushing for ideas like running show bikes across race weekends, there is clearly some validity to that concern.
Hopefully, as time goes on, the riders and Liberty Media can find a way to work together more efficiently without either side having to compromise too much on their goals.
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