Reading the MotoGP rankings is simple, but has a flaw. Indeed, point totals don't tell the whole story. In this article, we therefore propose a new reading of the general, with an additional condition.
Do you see that fast driver who often crashes? His place in the general does not exactly reflect his intrinsic speed, even if white results are part of the sport. To try to establish a ranking of the competitiveness of drivers in races, we will use a magical tool, often used in advanced statistics in other sports: The average points per race, when the driver crosses the finish line.
I) Advantages
This system is very useful in determining a driver's true place on the grid. Very simple example. Make a list of MotoGP riders, from strongest to weakest. Now tell us where is located
Jorge Martín. Is he only 11th, as the general ranking shows at mid-season?
He will undoubtedly be higher, because when he sees the checkered flag, the Spaniard is often ranked higher than that.
That's the whole point of this system. Reducing it to an average rather than a total allows us to better highlight the potential of the driver reported instead. Indeed, if he averages eight points per race, he should be 8th, the position to which the eight points are allocated.
Photo: Michelin Motorsport
II) Disadvantages
Falls are a big part of our sport, and consistency is very important. It is better to have a driver who is slower but more often on his wheels than the opposite. Indeed, this calculation frees itself from this. This remains a useful exercise to highlight certain trends, which we will see in IV.
III) The classification
Here is the revised ranking, with the first name and
name pilots, their total, and the number of places won (-) ou lost (+) compared to the general classification at mid-season (marked
±n places). In bold, the remarkable changes which we will discuss later.
1. Fabio QUARTARARO: 17,20
2. Francesco BAGNAIA: 15,14 / – 2 places
3. Aleix ESPARGARÓ: 13,70 / +1 place
4. Enea BASTIANINI: 13,12 / – 1 place
5. Johann ZARCO: 12,60 / + 2 places
6. Jorge MARTÍN: 11,60 / – 5 places
7. Joan MIR: 11 / – 1 place
8. Alex RINS: 10,71 / – 1 place
9. Jack MILLER: 10,11/ + 2 places
10. Marc MARQUEZ: 10 / – 3 places
11. Brad BINDER: 9,30 / + 5 places
12. Miguel OLIVEIRA: 7,88 / + 2 places
13. Marco BEZZECCHI: 7,85 / – 1 place
14. Maverick VIÑALES: 6,2 / + 2 places
15. Pol ESPARGARÓ: 5,71 / – 2 places
16. Luca MARINI: 4,72 / + 1 place
17. Takaaki NAKAGAMI: 4,66 / + 1 place
18. Alex MÁRQUEZ: 3,37
19. Franco MORBIDELLI: 2,77
20. Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO: 2,25
21. Darryn BINDER: 1,25
22. Andrea DOVIZIOSO: 1,11
23. Remy GARDNER: 0,90
24. Raúl FERNÁNDEZ: 0,71
IV) Analysis
Several elements should be noted.
– The most surprising being undoubtedly the position of Jorge Martin, who, due to his repeated falls, did not have a great season. However, he has very good pace which should allow him to play in the top 6.
Andrea Dovizioso can't do it. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
- Johann zarco ranks fifth in this “performance ranking” because of its consistency and must give way to Bastianini and Bagnaia, more competitive with three victories each. This means that Zarco is doing an excellent job, and we will have the opportunity to discuss it again.
– The position of Brad Binder is quite interesting. This revised ranking reveals great regularity but little competitiveness. Despite a podium finish, Binder managed to keep his head above water and over-piloted his KTM. This exercise allows you to enhance your performance.
– The fact thatAndrea Dovizioso (who has never been a daredevil driver but who has two retirements) cannot manage to appear at the front Darryn binder, falls excluded, is problematic. This also means that Darryn is far from ridiculous for his rookie year.
Which position change intrigues you the most?
Tell us in the comments!
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport
