Let's Talk MotoGP: Nakagami Was Stronger Than You Thought

It's time to take stock! As every year for the past three years, Let's talk MotoGP is embarking on a rather large undertaking: taking stock of each driver at the end of the 2024 season, today it's the turn of retired Takaaki Nakagami. For a good part of the winter, we'll be going back up the rankings, until we're talking in detail about the world champion's campaign. Are you ready? Let's go!

Yesterday we returned to the case ofAugusto Fernandez; click here to find this episode.

 

Discreet but still there

 

Don't expect, of course, that we will be talking about a performance from beyond the grave today. It would be unfair to treat Takaaki Nakagami, now retired, any differently from a Joan mir or a Luca Marini, because he was sailing in the same boat. I wrote an article a few weeks ago when he announced his retirement, which you can find by clicking here.

 

 

Previously, I made a statement that shocked many: no driver surprised me positively in 2024. I know it may seem strange, but it is the truth. However, if I had to give an element that ended up where I did not expect it, This is Takaaki Nakagami. Okay, he's still near the bottom, and okay, we haven't seen much more of him than Augusto Fernandez on screen. Yes, he's scored fewer points than in 2023, and no, he's never done better than eleventh this year. But let's take context into account, so crucial to have a faithful idea of ​​the picture.

At Honda, the situation is catastrophic. The two officials, Joan Mir (a world champion MotoGP) and Luca Marini, are struggling to get into the points – when they finish races. And yet, Nakagami, at LCR, is ahead of them in the general classification. The Japanese scored 31 points, against 21 for Mir and 14 for Marini. That's pretty huge, and I certainly didn't expect that. Then, of course, Johann Zarco was better, but this is not a surprise at all given his past performances at Ducati Pramac.

Nakagami, at 32 and at the end of his career, held the bar in the most honourable way possible. He fell very little, and even during the first half of the year, was the best for the winged firm in MotoGP. Of course, it's still far down the rankings, and that's why I can't say with certainty that it's a good surprise. But after all, it's more than respectable.

 

 

A mistake by Honda

 

I often have the opportunity to talk about his role in Honda's descent into hell, which has been racing since 2019 now. Faced with "Marquez-dependence", he could do nothing. And Nakagami, like Bradl, for example, embodies the bad choices of the greatest manufacturer in the history of motorcycling. In my opinion, Takaaki should never have stayed in the premier class for so long. He himself would have no trouble recognizing that his place was saved, year after year, thanks to his sponsor Idemitsu and, by extension, to his nationality.

But I am one of those people who never blames riders when they behave intelligently and respectfully towards our sport. Honda, the world's number one firm, offers a handlebar to a passionate Japanese. Why would he refuse it? It's not Nakagami's fault that Nakagami spent so much time in MotoGP, contrary to what some would have us believe.

 

Conclusion

 

I was pleasantly surprised by Takaaki Nakagami, let's put it this way. I didn't expect him to compete with Johann Zarco for half a season, and perhaps I imagined him to be ranked even lower. Taka' certainly won't have left his mark on Honda, and even less on Japan, but at least he did the job right to the end in a very honourable manner. When I see thatAlex Rins has the same total points and that our national Johann is only two places ahead, I tell myself that we can't throw stones at him. Impossible to be disappointed, in any case.

What did you think of Takaaki Nakagami in 2024? Tell me in the comments!

As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.

 

 

Cover photo: Honda LCR