Manu Gonzalez's recent victory at Motegi took an unexpected turn when he celebrated his triumph by wearing a Japanese "hachimaki". The headband, while innocent in the eyes of the Spanish rider, provoked a negative reaction from his team's main sponsor, QJMotor, a Chinese brand. The symbol, which dates back to Japan's military history during World War II, arouses mixed feelings, particularly in China, where it is closely linked to the tragic events of the Japanese invasion.
In response, QJEngine took drastic measures, asking the team Gresini to end its collaboration with GonzalezIn a public statement, the company expressed its displeasure, saying: “ Following the incident, Qianjiang Motorcycle immediately held solemn negotiations with its partner team Gresini, demanding that the relevant images and videos be immediately deleted and that the team immediately end its cooperation with the driver. »
Gonzalez, meanwhile, spoke out for the first time since the incident, posting an apology video on his social networks. With sincerity, he declared: “ I am writing this message to apologize to anyone in China who was offended by some photos of me taken on the starting grid of the Grand Motegi in Japan. It was not intended to be a political message, it was simply some photographs related to the moment »
QJMotor remains inflexible
The pilot also sent a direct message to QJEngine, hoping to be able to make amends: " once again i am truly sorry and i hope i can be forgiven and still have your support thank you »
However, the situation seems to have already had visible repercussions. On the official website of Gresini Racing team, the logo of QJEngine has disappeared from the Moto2 section, and no photos of González are currently visible. Although no official statement has been released by either party, this sudden change is easily interpreted as a sign of a possible withdrawal of the sponsor.
It remains to be seen whether Gonzalez et Gresini Racing team will be able to repair this rupture with QJEngine or whether this incident will mark a turning point in their collaboration in Grand Prix.
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