Retro: A myth disappears…

Honda and Repsol, it's over! The end of a legendary association inevitably brings its share of memories. After all, it is the disappearance of a myth in MotoGP, a team that has known success and ultimately very few failures since 1995. I have already written an article that discusses the catastrophic situation that Honda currently finds itself in. – this analysis was also confirmed by the team's ranking in the teams' championship, in last position. Today, I wanted to come back to the most striking liveries in history!

Decorations – and more generally, the aesthetic aspect of a sport – are essential for its appreciation by the public. Many disciplines survive only through the image they convey, even more than through the spectacle they offer. This is not the case for MotoGP, but I find it quite a shame that we no longer see any striking liveries on the grid. Most teams do without a title sponsor (a single brand that gives its color to the entire bike), exactly like in F1, to multiply the income.

This little illustrated retrospective will focus on the sponsors, more than on the colours, and therefore, the more recent Grand Prix (since 1980). There were some great things before that, but it would take me three days to list everything. Are you ready ? Let's go !

 

'Bout some darts

 

You can imagine, We do not promote tobacco in any way. or alcohol on our site. However, each era must be understood in its context, and cigarette manufacturers, for example, played a very important role in the development of motor sports, particularly in the 1980s. I am sure that many liveries come to mind, but the one that I have chosen, personally, is none other than the Yamaha YZR500 OWD3 1991 from Wayne Rainey. I think this is the perfect marriage of bright red and white. The yellow plate background only makes the whole thing more beautiful. Simple, refined, effective. As honorable mentions, I could mention the Suzuki RGV500 XR84 1994 rolled by Kevin schwantz, or even, the Ducati Desmosedici GP3 2003 de Loris Capirossi. And yes, I like red and white.

 

 

Three manufacturers?

 

If I told you that a brand sponsored three top teams from three different manufacturers, would you believe it? Yet, motorcycle and bicycle fans are familiar with Movistar, formerly, "Telefonica Movistar". The yellow checkered pattern on a blue background was first seen at Suzuki, and with success, too. It was with this look that Kevin Roberts Jr. pocketed his 500cc world championship title in 2000. Later, the telephone company sponsored the Honda Gresini team in MotoGP. Here I ask you only a little effort to remember Daijiro Kato (photo) or Sete Gibernau. Finally, after disappearing from the grids, Movistar returned to the forefront by supporting the Yamaha factory team in the mid-2010s. It was under these colours that Jorge Lorenzo won his final title in 2015.The partnership continued for a few years, before Movistar withdrew in favor of Monster Energy.

 

 

Legendary Colors

 

How can we not mention Repsol Honda?. Here, it's simple, the colors have remained the same for a long time. From 2013 to 2024, we had almost no changes! There were a few small subtleties, linked to the brand image of the Spanish oil company. First, in the 1990s, the livery was sublimated by a deep blue, soon replaced by black until 2013. Perhaps too dark, because Repsol replaced black with white with the arrival of Marc Marquez in the factory team…until this year, when the company's influence at Honda declined massively. In contrast, the top Hondas were still identified by the orange and bright red spots of Repsol. Personally, I preferred the intimidating black to the white, but perhaps the shape of the bike had its influence on my appreciation of it. My favorite remains the sleek RC212V by Andrea Dovizioso in 2009, with a black number on a black background.

 

 

Alpine didn't invent anything!

 

You may have seen the information, but Alpine to sponsor Pramac-Yamaha team next year. A car brand on a MotoGP is a déjà vu, and I can say it today: it is impossible for the Renault subsidiary to do better than FIAT in the 2000s. Valentino Rossi, hero of the period, managed to bring the legendary Turin manufacturer back to the factory Yamahas, and this gave birth to some of the most beautiful machines of all time. This partnership, which began in 2007 and ended at the end of 2010 with Rossi's departure for Ducati has remained in everyone's memories.

If I had to choose just one, it would definitely be the 1 YZR-M2010, but the one marked with number 99, one of my Proust madeleines. Maybe it was the absence of the Italian flag above the FIAT emblem, I don't know.

 

 

Dozens of others

 

I could have written 5000 words on this subject, and again, as a victim of capitalism, I only mentioned the liveries bearing sponsors. The official Yamahas of 2011 and 2012, exceptional, could easily have appeared in this article. There were also the Honda Gresini “San Carlo” from the early 2010s – with Bautista's black livery in homage to Simoncelli –, but many others.

Exactly, it's up to you to help me. Which liveries have left the biggest impression on you since you started following the motorcycle Grand Prix? 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: Michelin Motorsport