MotoGP: Redding admits ‘I ignored team orders’

Scott Redding has admitted after Sunday’s race that he ignored team orders from his Pramac Ducati squad when he became locked in battle with fellow Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso during the race. Receiving orders from his satellite team to stand down when the two came together, an unrepentant Redding launched a scathing rebuke at the instruction after the race.

“I was battling with Pedrosa as well as Dovi, and I wasn’t going to sacrifice everything when it was only for a few points. I’ve had a shit few weeks, and the least I could do was give myself some confidence from the race. It’s not like it was for a podium position, and what else can you do when you’re catching someone? People doubt me in the paddock every day, so when I get a chance to show my ability I need to take it.

“I had a message during the race to say ‘let Dovi through’ which I did do – I let him go. But when you’re catching someone and you’re a lot stronger, what else can you do? I have to think about my career too, and maybe I would have thought different if it had been for a podium, but I’m not going to lose any sleep over one point. I’ve been struggling for weeks and they’re not really helping me, and in this situation I had to think of myself.”

That new-found strength from Redding is something he’s keen to work on, too, after a difficult final season on the Ducati before making the switch to Aprilia for next season. Finally making a big breakthrough at the Australian circuit, he’s now keen to capitalise on it in the remaining two races of 2017.

“We had much more stability, much more feeling on the turning this weekend. It honestly felt more like the amount of confidence I had back in my Moto2 days. I had no doubt at all going into corners, I had barely any moments, and my corner speed transformed my riding into something completely different during the race.”

But while Redding might have been expecting a slap on the wrist after the race for ignoring his team’s instructions, team boss Francesco Guidotti downplayed the message sent to Redding’s dashboard, instead suggesting that the note was more of a suggestion than an instruction.

“One position wasn’t going to make any difference to us or him, but when Pedrosa joined the fight as well, that changed. It was not mandatory, to follow the message – what Ducati asked was not for us to help him, but not to make any mistakes and involve Dovi in a crash or a moment. That was the recommendation that we got. Scott could have decided to stay behind him, but once another rider became involved he had to make a calculation.”