Valentino Rossi is on the verge of achieving what? His tenth world title?
No. Something ultimately much more important.
Go back.
Until recent years, Spain largely dominated (and still dominates) speed motorcycling competition. You only have to count the number of its representatives in MotoGP to be convinced of this; 9 drivers on the grid, almost half of it.
The why is to be sought in two directions.
One is a truly passionate country, because, economic context requires, fed on 2wheels throughout the period of Francoism, all under the sun, which does not spoil anything for the practice of these machines. Few ways to get started but a multitude of circuits and local races capable of encouraging multiple vocations.
The other is to be found on the side of the Dorna, Spanish structure which abundantly waters the various teams in the championship with, inevitably sometimes, a slightly more developed patriotic understanding.
After a few years, the conjunction of these two elements produced the expected result; the Spaniards were everywhere and won everything, from 125cc to MotoGP.
The other European countries had to bend under the Iberian yoke, Germany, the United Kingdom and France included, owing only to international television broadcasting the fact of still having at least one representative in the premier category.
THEItaly, a country of motors if ever there was one, has long resisted but, after the tragic disappearance of Marco Simoncelli, only succeeded in producing an Iannone when Spain was pulling Marquez, Espargaro, Vinales and other Rins out of its hat.
The foundation stone of Italian renewal was laid by the Italian Federation (FMI) which, managing to retain a few important sponsors, injected a million Euros each year into its Grand Prix team. Some pilots made their first experience of the Continental Circus there, with more or less success.
Then, in 2014, Valentino Rossi creates the VR46 Riders Academy. The aim was to help the most promising Italian pilots, by placing them where they could progress, all under the tutelage and with the aura of the Doctor, without even mentioning the extensive training in Misano or Tavullia.
And it works ! Today they are eleven to be labeled “VR46”, and are starting to play leading roles in Moto3, with Romano Fenati, Niccolo Antonelli, Andrea Migno, Nicolo Bulega et
Francis Bagnaia, but also to gain strength in Moto2, with Franco Morbidelli, Lorenzo Baldassari et Luca marini.
Currently less known, we also find Dennis Foggia et Marco Bezzecchi in the FIM Repsol Junior Moto3 World Championship as well as the very young
Celestino Vietti Ramus in the Italian CIV championship.
The next stage will be the passage of Valentino Rossi's own team, the Sky VR46, in Moto2, starting in 2017.
At the end of 2018, the Moto2 team will therefore have two years of experience and Valentino Rossi will probably retire as a driver.
But let's bet that he will undoubtedly then be at the dawn of a whole new career as a team manager in MotoGP, with Italian riders!
And the MotoGP icon could well succeed where all the national federations have worn their teeth on the powerful Iberian…
We are certainly not there yet, but it is clear thatonly one Spaniard appears in the Top 12 Moto3 riders this year. Against 6 Italians...
PS: Last Monday, as usual, a few riders from the VR46 Riders Academy trained in Misano, in this healthy atmosphere of camaraderie that the Doctor loves.
