Having an excellent driver is often a guarantee of results. Having two on the same team is almost impossible. Indeed, putting two or more monsters together and knowing how to make them work is extremely rare. Today, let's take a look at these legendary formations.
The first decades of our sport did not offer the possibility of seeing two pilots evolve under the same command. Things were different, and the “team” situation with name, specific numbers and organization flourished in the late 1970s. However, some duos running for the same manufacturer did exist.
Thus, it is possible to affirm that the appearance of the real first “super-team” dates back to 1965. That year, Mike Hailwood and Giacomo Agostini rode on MV Agusta, and were even the only two on the beautiful Italians. in the 500cc category. Unbeatable? That's the word.
“Mike the bike” is crushing his sport, and is already a three-time world champion while “King” Ago is still only an apprentice. For his first year in the premier category, Agostini won a race, his race, the Finnish Grand Prix. Hailwood won all other rounds and his final title. Yes, yes, all the others. Except for the Ulster Grand Prix, in which he did not participate.
Giacomo Agostini did not have strong teammates over a long period of time, but his duo with Mike Hailwood remains legendary just for the association of the two names. Photos: Panini
A long time after, other great teams are emerging. It is possible to observe, at Yamaha Marlboro in 1983, a duo Kenny Roberts (for his last year) / Eddie Lawson, a very promising rookie.
But the real legendary duo of the 1980s is found among the rivals. Honda, in 1989, added a certain Mick Doohan to Wayne Gardner who was already suffering from his injuries. This team marks the start of medium-term projects, since the two Australians will stay together for three full seasons, making Rothmans Honda HRC happy.
“Superteams” are starting to emerge, but what Honda did in the 1990s never seen before. Mick Doohan, Alex Crivillé and Shinichi Itoh. A real institution is born, and literally sweeps over MotoGP. All three drivers are in the top 10 at the end of the year with an Australian on another planet, ahead of its runner-up by 143 units.
Honda Team became Repsol Honda in 1995. If you follow MotoGP at all, you must suspect that they were not having fun on the field. Eight victories, ten poles, and ten podiums to three. Indecent. Doohan took the title again, with seven victories while Alex Crivillé finished fourth just ahead of his Japanese teammate Itoh.
Any hope at Yamaha Roberts was dashed even before the start of the season when the Honda bosses announced a fourth rider, in the person of Tadayuki Okada for the 1996 season. To give you an idea, all the regular drivers (14 in total) except those from Repsol Honda scored 1221 points at the end of the year. The four “Honda Boys” 763 points, plus the title as a bonus.
One Repsol Honda can hide another... The team was uncompromising during the 1990s. Here, Mick Doohan celebrates his 1995 title hiding Itoh. Photo: Box Repsol
The march continues, but without Itoh. Doohan, Okada and Crivillé took the title, second and fourth place in 1997. Spaniard Sete Gibernau joined the dance in 1998, with a slightly different bike. All four finish in the top 11, and Doohan is crowned for the fifth consecutive time. It's not a team, but a dynasty.
It continues in 1999, but without the injured Australian star. Crivillé takes care of taking the title of world champion despite everything. Okada is third, Gibernau two places behind. Even the very sexy Biaggi/Checa duo at Yamaha can't do anything about it.
This dynasty can easily be considered the most dominant in the history of our sport, by the number of cumulative victories, and the number of extraordinary drivers entered in six years. The team suffered during the year 2000, and the beautiful story ends there. But for all that, the foundations of the now legendary Team Repsol are well laid.
After having mentioned some of the finest teams of the 500cc era, we will focus in a future part on more modern crews. Maybe an entity will contest the title of “best team in history” at Repsol Honda, who knows?
Cover photo credits: Box Repsol
