Would the dice be loaded?
From the first race of the first round carried out by the drivers at the start of the 2023 season, the tireless refrain of the factory instructions was already coming back to our ears.
When Francis Bagnaia wins a race, it's normal and it doesn't offend anyone. On the other hand, when Marco Bezzecchi wins, even if we scoff at this new talent, the eternal question inevitably arises as to whether he can legitimately thwart the DUCATI factory team's plans for victory. And we are only on the 2nd round completed out of 21!!!
Instead of being ecstatic about the sporting performances where everything is supposed to be open, we discover with amazement that contractual injunctions could be made to the satellite teams if they were to prove more efficient than their factory counterparts.
Are we not at risk of distorting the very essence of sport and its beauty?
We are already wondering about the variety of forces present: As a reminder, only 22 pilots compared to 24 last year, a number in decline for obscure budgetary reasons. And these same pilots, do they really tell us everything or are they themselves fooled by their respective employers? Are they only condemned to outbursts? Only “official” drivers could claim the title?
In view of this light, we now better understand the visceral relentlessness with which Jorge Martín fought during the 2022 season to become a factory rider for DUCATI, he who was, however, like any PRAMAC rider, equipped with a machine strictly equivalent to the “factory” GP22. No factory motorcycle, end of dreams of glory...
What about the existence of other teams? We are legitimately entitled to think that, like Formula 1, financial interests are now encroaching too much. Where is the spirit of the Continental Circus?
The end of last season was already tarnished by these obscure considerations, further distorting the performance of the proclaimed champion Pecco Bagnaia.
As if it had to be this year 2023, either him or bastianini at DUCATI, or Quarterly ou Morbidely at YAMAHA or Márquez et Mir at HONDA.
Nice for the other drivers, as if they should be satisfied with their chance to participate…
At least at KTM, when Olive tree opened the brand's victory counter in 2020, the factory team did not shy away from performance and would certainly have been satisfied with a world championship won via the Tech3 team. We can at least give them that!
Objectively, these intrigues were not long before, or at least they were well concealed.
It is true that certain machines were technically below the official ones, effectively muzzling any worthy performance in the hope of winning. Today, while motorcycles have never been so close within the same brand, a statutory divide has taken place.
The spectators were fooled, but until when?
By dint of chaining together paradoxes, the tremendous momentum driven by DORNA to promote the premier category could be tainted by these dark controversies. And the drivers who won a cheap title?
Without seeing any similarities, the WSBK category does not bother with these considerations: Max Biaggi, winner with APRILIA of the hard-won 2012 season, was nevertheless well helped by his teammate Eugene Laverty who sacrificed himself to ensure a mathematical advantage of 0.5 points for the Corsair against the English troublemaker Tom Sykes on KAWASAKI. In this way his title is questionable and tarnishes the image of the above-mentioned. And what about Laverty? If he had not been castrated in his momentum by the team to favor Biaggi, his career would perhaps have been different because a victory, the trigger, would undoubtedly have called for others. But with ifs... Let's not even talk about the unfortunate Sykes who must have been a double title winner, far from these little arrangements between friends!
One thing is certain, however: Legends are not made on compromise. Provided that the dreams of glory of our current competitors persist without feigned aggression.
The Sprint races jousts reassure us for the moment on this point, it is their positive side.
MotoGP must remain a real fight, not wrestling. May the best simply win!
