“HE CAN’T WIN FOREVER” – Marco Bezzecchi angrily DEMANDS that FIM thoroughly investigate Marc Márquez’s Ducati Desmosedici GP25, suspecting ENGINE FRAUD on Márquez’s bike.
The MotoGP paddock is ablaze with controversy following the dramatic conclusion of the 2025 San Marino Grand Prix at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. Marc Márquez, the eight-time world champion riding for Ducati Lenovo Team, secured a stunning victory, crossing the finish line 2.3 seconds ahead of his closest rival, Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martín. This win marked Márquez’s fourth consecutive triumph this season and solidified his lead in the championship standings with 275 points. However, the celebrations were short-lived as accusations of foul play erupted from within the Ducati camp itself. Marco Bezzecchi, the VR46 Racing Team rider and a fellow Italian, voiced his outrage in a post-race interview that has since gone viral, demanding an immediate and thorough investigation by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) into Márquez’s Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Bezzecchi, who finished a frustrating fifth place after battling handling issues throughout the weekend, did not mince words. “He can’t win forever,” he declared, his voice laced with frustration and anger, as cameras captured the 26-year-old’s heated exchange with reporters. Bezzecchi, a former podium finisher and Ducati stalwart since his debut in 2021, alleged that Márquez’s bike exhibited unnatural performance characteristics, particularly in the engine department. “I’ve been racing these machines for years. Something doesn’t add up. The acceleration out of corners, the top speed on straights—it’s not normal. We need the FIM to check that engine. This smells like fraud,” he insisted, pointing to telemetry data from his own GP25 that showed discrepancies in power delivery compared to Márquez’s setup.
The accusations stem from a weekend plagued by whispers of technical irregularities. During Friday’s free practice sessions, Márquez’s bike clocked lap times that shaved off nearly half a second from the circuit record, prompting raised eyebrows among competitors. Ducati’s satellite teams, including VR46 and Pramac, have long relied on the Desmosedici’s renowned engineering, but recent homologation changes for the 2025 season introduced new fuel mapping and exhaust regulations aimed at leveling the playing field. Bezzecchi claimed that Márquez’s team might have exploited a loophole in the engine specifications, potentially tampering with the electronic control unit (ECU) to boost horsepower beyond the allowed 300hp limit. “It’s not just about winning; it’s about fairness. If he’s cheating, it undermines everything we’ve worked for,” Bezzecchi added, his comments echoing sentiments from other riders like Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo, who nodded in agreement during the post-race press conference.
Márquez, ever the composed professional, dismissed the claims with a mix of amusement and defiance. In his winner’s interview, the Spaniard, who returned to Ducati in 2024 after a tumultuous stint at Honda, laughed off the drama. “Marco is angry because he didn’t podium today. I understand—racing is emotional. But my bike is clean. Ducati builds the best machines, and we’ve followed every rule to the letter. Let the FIM investigate; they’ll find nothing,” he said, crediting his success to tire management and precise setup adjustments for Misano’s tricky layout. Márquez’s victory lap was met with thunderous applause from the predominantly Italian crowd, but backstage, tensions simmered. Ducati Corse general manager Davide Tardozzi defended his rider, calling Bezzecchi’s outburst “unprofessional” and urging unity within the brand. “We’re all Ducati family. Accusations like this hurt the team,” Tardozzi stated.
The FIM has responded swiftly to Bezzecchi’s demand, announcing on September 15, 2025, that Márquez’s bike would undergo immediate technical scrutiny at their Bologna headquarters. Seals on the engine components will be broken under supervision, with fuel samples and ECU logs analyzed for any anomalies. This isn’t the first time MotoGP has faced doping-like scandals; recalls the 2015 brake scandal involving forward-thinking manufacturers and the 2022 Yamaha engine mapping controversy. Experts believe that if fraud is uncovered, Márquez could face disqualification from the race, stripping him of 25 points and opening the door for Martín to close the championship gap to just 18 points.
Bezzecchi’s bold move has polarized the MotoGP community. Supporters hail him as a whistleblower standing up to the “invincible” Márquez, whose comeback story from a near-career-ending arm injury in 2020 has captivated fans worldwide. Critics, however, accuse him of sour grapes, noting his own inconsistent season marred by crashes and setup woes. Valentino Rossi, Bezzecchi’s mentor and the nine-time champion who founded VR46, weighed in on social media, tweeting: “Questions must be asked, but let’s wait for facts. MotoGP thrives on competition, not conspiracy.” The Italian legend, who harbors a storied rivalry with Márquez dating back to 2015, stopped short of endorsing the claims but emphasized the importance of transparency.
As the investigation unfolds, the paddock heads to the Aragon Grand Prix next weekend, where scrutiny will be intense. Márquez remains optimistic, focusing on his bike’s reliability rather than the drama. “I’ve won fair and square before, and I’ll do it again,” he vowed. Bezzecchi, meanwhile, has garnered support from fellow Italians like Francesco Bagnaia, who subtly hinted at “irregularities” in a team radio message during the race. Ducati’s dominance—claiming seven of the last ten constructors’ titles—has long been a point of contention, but internal strife like this threatens to fracture the Italian giant’s aura of invincibility.
This saga underscores the high stakes of MotoGP, where milliseconds separate heroes from villains. With the season finale looming in Valencia, every point counts, and Bezzecchi’s cry of “He can’t win forever” resonates as a rallying call for underdogs. Whether it leads to justice or just more headlines, one thing is clear: the 2025 championship is far from decided, and trust in the sport’s guardians has never been more tested.
