We continue our retrospective of each driver's season, from the last to Pecco Bagnaia. To appreciate the performance of our heroes, looking at their place overall is not enough. Thus, we will look at the dynamics, the context, the qualifications, the expectations that the driver in question aroused to judge his campaign. Yesterday was the season of
Joan mir who was in the spotlight.
You can find the corresponding article by clicking on this highlighted sentence.
As a reminder, this opinion remains subjective, and only reflects the thoughts of its author.
I) A convincing pilot
After a few days of dealing with seasons as depressing as each other, talking about Marco Bezzecchi feels good. Without even mentioning the statistics, this pilot brings a very welcome breath of fresh air. In true Italian style, Bezzecchi shined with his personality and charisma. Casually, that's a good point and it's a quality that is no longer shared by many these days.
However, this should not bias the analysis. In reality, the rookie of the year season is convincing, but calling it genius is daring. He is the only beginner who, within this vintage, although formidable on paper, stood out. Be careful not to be fooled by the comparison. Equipped with a high-performance Desmosedici GP21, he did not dazzle the motorcycle world but achieved some high-quality performances.
With a pole position, a podium and three other top 5s, his year was successful.
Surprise pole in Buriram for the young and friendly Italian. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
II) Luca Marini or Marco Bezzecchi?
What is interesting in his case is the comparison with
Luca marini, with a GP22. The half-brother of Valentino Rossi, author of a very good season, won the duel between teammates (9-6 in the races where both crossed the line), but Bezzecchi was not unworthy however. Let us remember, however, that the GP22 was significantly worse than the GP21 in the first rounds, which explains Marini's sluggish start.
Marco stood out for his sense of combat and his explosiveness, undoubtedly his number one asset. Pack races don't scare him and he doesn't hesitate to fight for his position. His speed is quite good, fairly well reflected by his overall position.
Conversely of the previous “rookies of the year”, Bezzecchi still has his share of weak points. First up, racing in the rain. He finished 20e in Indonesia (the team cited a technical problem) and 16e in Thailand while starting from pole position. With Marco, alone Fabio Di Giannantonio et Remy gardner did not score points in the two rounds.
Then, and undoubtedly the most important, consistency in performance, the first criterion for ranking well in the general classification and ensuring a bright future in Grands Prix. Marco can have a very good weekend, solid in all sessions, but completely fail the next one. We thus note immense losses and gains, ranging from +12 to –8 positions over two successive GPs.. Of course, he has just arrived in MotoGP, but his package was efficient on all tracks, in all conditions, in addition to being perfectly known for its second year of operation. This is a detail to watch for 2023.
Will he be able to pass a milestone like his friend Pecco Bagnaia? Photo: Michelin Motorsport
Conclusion:
The rookie of the year had an honest and convincing campaign, but we can't look past some of the shortcomings. Yes, a youngster should have time to make mistakes or perfect his art and erase his imperfections (consistency in the case of Bezzecchi), but the current market produces ever stronger, faster and perfect rookies. So, certainly, he was ahead of the other inexperienced people, but the comparison is biased given the poverty of their respective campaigns. If we relate to the number of points per race (5,5 ppc for the Italian for the 2022 financial year), he is far from the rookie of the year 2019 (Quartararo, 10,1 ppc), 2020 (Brad Binder, 6,2 ppc), and 2021 (Martin, 7,9 ppc). That doesn't mean he'll never reach their level, Bagnaia struggled during his first season in 2019, despite a rather competitive machine.
In 2023, the friendly Italian will have to show progress, because places are getting more and more expensive. Imagine for a moment that he stagnates despite a pole and a podium, and that at the same time,
Celestino Vietti is in a fiery season in Moto2? The question of replacement would legitimately arise given the outlook of the championship, unfortunately for Marco. Moreover, Luca Marini is not immune but he seems to have the advantage, having a more
“MotoGP” in the spirit (calm, very regular in performance but less sparkling). In any case, we wish him the best possible season.
What did you think of his campaign? Tell us in the comments!
Photo: Michelin Motorsport
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport
