An open letter to Dorna: it’s time to promote diversity and inclusivity in MotoGP

And if MotoGP does take this road it won’t become like F1, or any other sport. It will still be MotoGP, with a bunch of axe murderers doing crazy things on 220mph motorcycles, but hopefully it will also be a happier place for those who currently feel excluded or are afraid to be themselves.

The first incident happened in early December when Jorge Martin used a word during a TV chat show that’s commonly used as a gay slur. We all make mistakes and Martin apologised.

“It’s true that we must eradicate those familiar phrases since times change for the better – we have to evolve in this sense,” Martin told Spanish sports paper AS.

Good on him. However, in the meantime several people around Martin rushed to his defence, attacking people who had questioned his faux pas.

This suggests that these people don’t understand who was in the wrong. They should know that top sports people, admired by millions, need to communicate well, because what they say matters in the way it’s received and perceived. It’s not difficult: you don’t speak in ways that hurt people, especially minorities.

The second incident happened just after Christmas when Fabio Quartararo posted a photograph of himself sharing a nice moment with a male friend. Happily, the vast majority of reactions on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram were supportive, but the posts attracted so much homophobic abuse that Quartararo deleted the photo from X and turned off replies on Instagram.

It’s depressing that anyone in the paddock, let alone one of its greatest riders, should be bullied for such a thing.

Some fans reacted to the fallout by suggesting that a mountain is being made out of a molehill. They said they don’t care if a rider is gay or straight, so there’s no problem – the only problem is the few people who highlight these issues. But the only reason you are reading this is because a rider was pilloried by a vocal and vicious minority for being affectionate with another man, so there obviously is a problem.

It doesn’t matter if Quartararo is gay or straight, it’s the hatred he attracted. In 2023! This is so messed up!

“Well, that’s sad and bad, obviously, but it’s also counterproductive. Why so? Because it makes them unhappy. Unhappy workers don’t give their best. They worry. They make mistakes. The F1 teams that we at Racing Pride work with, which authentically and enthusiastically embrace robust LGBTQ+ diversity, equity and inclusion policies, report that such people, suddenly shed of the burden of having to conceal their true identities, at last able to be who they want to be and admit that they love whom they want to love, are happier in their work. They therefore begin to give their best, whether they be mechanics, engineers, whatever.”

Racing Pride currently enjoys partnerships with the Red Bull, Aston Martin and Alpine F1 teams.

Why does this matter? Because it sends a hugely positive message to gay people, telling them they are welcome in the sport and that they don’t need to hide who they are for fear of abuse.

It’s not only homophobia. One of the best things that’s happened to MotoGP in recent years is the increase in women employed throughout the paddock, working for Dorna, in pitlane, hospitality, PR and so on. However, there is still sexism, even in the higher echelons.

A few years ago a top MotoGP rider posted a meme on his social media, featuring a still from a porn movie as an analogy to the championship situation. I won’t go into details, but let’s just say that the movie was heavily exploitative of women, more so than most porn. One of the rider’s friends urged him to delete the post. He did so, but not before the PR manager of one of MotoGP’s biggest teams had reposted the meme, accompanied by a series of laughter emojis.

If a MotoGP PR person – whose job is to promote his team and the championship to the world – thinks that’s funny, how much has MotoGP got to learn?

There are other stories of paddock sexism – female team members who have left the championship because they couldn’t cope with the sexism, a male with a history of behaving inappropriately to women still in his management position and so on. Obviously some parts of the paddock – teams, manufacturers and other companies – are more enlightened than others but that’s still not good enough.

It’s the same with racism. I think there’s less than there used to be, which is wonderful, but it’s still around. I know one engineer who refuses to work with another technician because of his racist views. And beyond MotoGP I’ve heard a senior figure in British motor sport refer to Hamilton as “Sooty” in private conversation.

Of course, working to stamp out the hatred won’t immediately make MotoGP a paradise of inclusivity, but if it allows some people to get involved who were previously unsure and if it makes some others rethink their negative attitudes, then it will be worth it. Most important is to make a start and build on that.

What about the countries MotoGP visits (and plans to visit) that are horrifically homophobic and sexist? MotoGP needs money and, like so many other sports, is prepared to debase itself by taking money from these countries, some of which are extraordinary rich.

Can a sport run a diversity project while visiting these countries? In an ideal world this wouldn’t happen, but we don’t live in an ideal world, therefore people must make compromises, sometimes ugly compromises.

MotoGP will not stop visiting these countries, because it needs their money. Is that a good enough reason to stop pushing for a more diverse championship? No.

And there is a commercial positive to embracing diversity and inclusivity. MotoGP desperately wants to expand its audience and the best way to do that is by attracting younger fans and more females fans. A more enlightened MotoGP would be more attractive to these people.

This is F1 CEO Chase Carey, talking about how the world’s biggest motor sport series is embracing change and expanding as a result: “Over the past two years, Formula 1 has undergone significant change as we aim to reshape the business to broaden its appeal globally and attract new audiences.

“Working with our partners across the F1 community, we are committed to building a more diverse and inclusive sport, breaking down the stereotypes associated with a career in motor sports and encouraging people from all backgrounds to get involved.

“Addressing this issue will take time but we are in no doubt that the steps we are taking to improve representation in our business will have a positive impact in the long term.”

Chase is happy to admit there’s a financial advantage to broadening F1’s audience, which is something that any big business will sign up for: do this and you will make more money!

Here is Barcelona’s International School of Business (a ten-minute drive from Dorna’s Barcelona offices!) banging the same drum:

“Diversity and inclusion in sports have economic benefits. Sports are big business, with billions of dollars generated in revenue every year. By embracing diversity and inclusion, sports organisations can tap into new markets, expand their fan base, and attract new sponsors and partners. In short, diversity and inclusion in sports are good for business and good for society.”

Beyond all this, it’s a simple case of right and wrong.