Frankly, I didn't expect this. Far be it from me to brag to you, but in France, I was one of the first to alert my dear readers of the negative influence Liberty Media could have if they ever took control. A year and a half after the first article on the matter, here we are. The first measures are coming, and, believe me, it bothers me that I was right.
If you would like to find other articles on the new owners of MotoGP, you can click here, here, or here.
A fracture announced?
I deliberately waited to write this article to see how it all plays out over time. You may have seen the news, but drivers are now required to attend a ceremony with the host country's anthem playing a few minutes before the start, just like in Formula 1. Marc Marquez publicly took offense at this, but was made to understand that he should not play by the new rules. ; he will be fined if he does not come, and the amount will increase with each absence.
Liberty Media will have to understand that the personalities of MotoGP riders have nothing to do with what's in F1. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
In itself, it's not so serious. The problem, It's just that the pilots don't like it, and, historically, what doesn't convince them isn't good for the sport. Worse, it can even turn into a quarrel between the authorities and them, as we've already seen quite a few in motorsports. And in these cases, the drivers are always right, because the public, the target, is on their side.
This seemingly trivial story is actually quite important, as it could very well be the beginning of a schism between the drivers' body and the Grand Prix promoter. To follow F1, believe me when I say that the elements of the grid MotoGP are far from having seen everything! In single-seater racing, ridiculous ceremonies are multiplying, sometimes including stars whose identity no one knows. This is particularly visible on the American rounds, of which there are three in Formula 1.
These are "only" hymns, but it must be said that this is already a lot for some. Watch out for what comes next.
Does Liberty Media want to erase history?
Well. The anthems, to tell the truth, don't change anything in the soul of MotoGP, I mainly wanted to use this point to highlight the progressive distance between the riders and those who decide. Now, I'm going to tackle a more serious subject. From what they implied, in Motegi, we won't be talking about Marc Marquez's ninth title, but his seventh. Why? Because there would be a desire to make the small categories invisible, to simplify and accentuate the exceptional side of MotoGP.
It's true that when you introduce a newcomer to the history of MotoGP, they always tend to ask why we talk about Valentino Rossi as a nine-time champion when he only won seven titles in the premier class. It takes a little while to explain, but it's simple: The World Championship for Grand Prix motorcycle racing was designed to reward the best rider in each engine size. If you're having trouble articulating it, here's my advice: compare our sport to boxingFor the noble art, the heavyweight category is king, marked by the exploits of Joe Louis to Tyson Fury via Mohammed Ali.
However, that doesn't mean that the champions in other categories are inferior to them, because Sugar Ray Robinson, GGG and Prince Naseem (what memories) were all monstrous as well. Well, on a motorcycle, it's the same.. There is the champion of the most exposed category, which was represented by the 500cc cylinder capacity and then the MotoGP, and the others, titled in 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 80cc, 50cc, and even, at one time, in sidecar. Marc Marquez will be able to celebrate his ninth title in Motegi, because he was the best rider in the world in 125cc, in Moto2, and in MotoGP, soon seven times, and that counts, because everything is part of the motorcycle Grand Prix. Similarly, Manny Pacquiao has been crowned twelve times in his career, winning in eight different weight classes.
Moto3 riders are very close to their MotoGP counterparts. Little Maximo Quiles trains with Marc Marquez. Photo: Aspar Team
I really like this analogy, and it further ridicules Liberty Media's crazy project: to completely make the small categories invisible, which was one of my biggest fears. You see, in single-seater racing, itThat's not how it works. F1 is the only premier category, and the others are and have always been only classes reserved for young wolves promised to Formula 1. There have been Formula 2 specialists like Jochen Rindt, but he too was F1 champion in 1970. Certainly, since the beginning of the 2000s, let's say, the 125cc, the 250cc then Moto3 and Moto2 have become promotional categories, but they are an integral part of the MotoGP spectacle! It's a pleasure to follow a rider from the beginning of their career, and, moreover, the stars of the sport are always at the start of these races to see the elements that stand out. I'm not even talking about the spectacle on the track! This year, in particular, we are very well served, especially in Moto2.
Philidor said that pawns are the soul of chess; well, in the same way, for me, the small classes are the soul of MotoGP. If we start treating Marquez like a seven-time world champion, what can we do withAngel grandson, thirteen coronations to his name? What about Carlo Ubbiali, Walter Villa, Rodney Gould? It's really hard to understand, because it wasn't a problem at all.
Tomorrow, in a second installment, we will return to the most serious measure recently decided, which also concerns the Moto2 and Moto3 grids. Until then, Tell me what you think of these measures in the comments!
As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.
There are already only three categories left... Photo: IntactGP.
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport
