Let's talk MotoGP: It's time to tackle a thorny subject in the Bagnaia/Marquez debate

Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez made mistakes during the Portuguese Grand Prix; Since yesterday, “Parlons MotoGP” has been looking back at this incident involving two legendary forces of the world championship, and which, of course, has caused a lot of ink to flow. Yesterday, I discussed in detail the facts and everyone's responsibility. I invite you to find the said article by clicking here, because reading it will help you understand my reasoning. Today, I would like to return to another point, even more important, which allows me to address a concept that I consider to be quite hackneyed. Are you ready ? Let's go !

 

A question of ego?

 

Here is a refrain that has been taking hold in the media landscape since the day before yesterday. Pecco Bagnaia would have had a sudden excess of ego, which would have pushed him to cross the line so as not to let Marc Marquez pass, because he is Marc Marquez. Or, conversely, that Marquez, “out of ego”, would not have wanted to give up anything against Bagnaia because he is one of the men of the moment. Let me tell you that I don't believe it for a second, for several reasons.

First, I wonder if Bagnaia knows what the ego is. He has them, like all champions, but he has never had the slightest ounce of misplaced pretension on the machine since he was in MotoGP. He is a driver who always overtakes cleanly, certainly one of the best in the field. Not long ago, we criticized him for his lack of character! The theory does not hold up in his case, in my opinion. Ditto for Marquez, even if he has already misused his ego. Don't tell me he wouldn't have tried it on any driver like he's been doing for over ten years! I think Bagnaia would have acted the same way if it was Bastianini, Martin or any other title contender out of pure logical thinking, and Marquez, often marked by unpredictability, genius and clumsiness when overtaking (sometimes all three at the same time), would not have changed anything if it had been Acosta, Binder or Aleix Espargaro. Where some see it as the ego of the champions, I see it as a reasoned possibility of gleaning a few additional points.

 

 

Secondly, I think that this ego thing is a good argument when the simplicity of reality does not satisfy. Everything happens in barely half a second. The two had already exchanged places, vigorously. Remember this very beautiful 2022 Aragon Grand Prix, where Bagnaia won brilliantly. At this point, we're talking about millimeters, more than a poetic story. Bagnaia said to himself: “Come on, since it’s Marc Marquez, I’m coming out eight centimeters too wide”? It involves so little for such a small contact, so weak that he was not reprimanded, that I don't see what the ego has to do with it. Both are monsters, they have already suffered hundreds of battles of this style. Reality, more nuanced, cold and prosaic, is no match for lyrical theories.

 

 

Third, in my humble opinion, ego is also only invoked because it involves Pecco Bagnaia, protégé of Valentino Rossi, and Marc Marquez. Obviously, we remember, sometimes with nostalgia, these anthology battles. But let's not try to transpose them all the time. As said above, I don't think for a single moment that one of the two men would have acted differently if the other wasn't him. You probably think that I'm rambling, that I'm spinning around, that I'm getting stuck in my reasoning. But why did no one ever talk about ego problems when Bagnaia and Maverick Vinales eliminated each other at Le Mans last year? Once again, the blame was shared. I wish there was a rivalry between the two, but there isn't.

 

 

Conclusion

 

The incident involves such great forces that we want to find an explanation. But in reality, it is a simple incident of racing, nothing more, as dozens of events happen every year. The race management did not let itself be influenced by nebulous theories, and I am very happy with that. Both lose big, very big even, and none should be pilloried.

I'm waiting for your feedback in comments! Tell me what you thought of this showdown, but also of this article! Of course, as is often the case, let's try to remain courteous and respectful so that the exchange remains pleasant for everyone.

 

 

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport