Neil Morrison | October 15, 2024
Manuel Gonzalez has been the subject of much speculation over the past week. Unfortunately for the Spaniard, it had little to do with his debut within the Moto2 class, which he achieved at the Japanese Grand Prix.
The 22-year-old was pictured wearing a hachimaki—a Japanese headband—on the grid before the race, with which his Gresini Moto2 squad’s principal sponsor and Chinese motorcycle manufacturer QJ Motor took umbrage.
Manuel Gonzalez still has his ride at this stage, but QJ’s sponsorship of Gresini’s Moto2 program is very much up in the air.
The sensitivity stems from the fact the hachimaki was worn by soldiers in the Japanese imperial army during the Second Sino-Japanese War, between 1937 and 1945, when it was at war with China and even invaded its borders.
Speculation mounted over whether Gonzalez had been sacked last week when QJ Motor removed his profile from its website. The Gresini team refused to comment when approached by Cycle News. Now, the QJ Motor logo has been removed from its website, hinting there could be a split between team and sponsor.
The Chinese company issued an official statement in the wake of the Japanese Grand Prix, expressing its wish to have Gonzalez sacked. “A very discordant incident occurred during the race: the Gresini team rider, Gonzalez, without permission wore a decorative accessory from the host country upon the organizers’ invitation before the race started, and shared this action on social media,” read the statement.
“Although it was an unintentional gesture due to his lack of knowledge of Chinese history as a European rider, such behavior offended the national sentiments of motorcyclists and citizens of China.
“Following the incident, Qianjiang Motorcycle immediately initiated a serious discussion with the Gresini team, requesting that all published images and videos be removed immediately, and demanded that the team cease all collaboration with the involved rider.”
For his part, Gonzalez issued his own statement, which expressed deep regret at the incident. “I’m writing this post to apologize to anyone in China who felt offended by some of my photos on the grid at the Japanese Grand Prix,” Gonzalez said. “It was not intended to be a political message; they were instead pictures related to the country hosting the race.
“It was never my intention to disrespect or hurt the sentiment of the Chinese people, it was a thoughtless and involuntary gesture, and I regret it. Again, I am terribly sorry and sincerely wish I can be forgiven and have your support, thank you.”
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