Ducati and Aprilia join KTM in support of lifting media ban

After KTM stated that they have no issues with media being in attendance for the three-day test, Ducati and Aprilia have now become the latest to offer their support. 

In case you missed it, a ban was imposed on media not only entering pit lane, but being in attendance at the circuit, meaning a behind-closed-doors test was scheduled.

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However, all five MotoGP manufacturers have now agreed to let media enter the circuit, although being in pit lane is still banned.

KTM Team Manager Francesco Guidotti claimed that KTM were never in favour of such a move, and that it was ‘unacceptable’.

Those feelings have now been shared by the other two European manufacturers, while it’s thought that the initial ban was pushed for by a Japanese manufacturer.

While the media’s relationships with teams and riders has been far from smooth-sailing at times, Aprilia Racing CEO, Massimo Rivola, was quick to admit that the sport needs journalists.

Speaking to GPOne.com, Rivola said: "We live through visibility. We need sponsors to support our investments because we can’t go crying to the mother company. In order to have visibility, we need media following. 

"We are totally open and it’s part of our philosophy to get them involved. We need journalists, even if many times we get angry reading an article.

"It’s part of the game. It’s fair even if we get criticism. The important thing is keeping our attention high."

Davide Tardozzi of Ducati followed up by saying no one at the Italian manufacturer had requested such a move to be made, while all journalists should be there to ‘talk to whoever they want’. 

Tardozzi added: "Yesterday I heard who was responsible and I said it didn’t seem right to me. Without a doubt the journalists had to enter the paddock. 

"The important thing is that the press is present and that the journaslists have the opportunity to talk to whoever they want. It’s right that it should be like this. 

"They hadn’t informed us at all. I don’t know if anyone made a request but I can say that nobody had asked Ducati about anything. There was no prior investigation. It makes me think that someone’s request was accepted."