win it or bin it
If you can remember the days of Sheene and Roberts, of Lawson, Rainey, Gardner, Schwantz, Fast Freddie and Micky Doohan, even of Valentino and Biaggi, Moto2’s inaugural season will almost have brought a tear to your eye. OK, GP racing has always been made up of the principal factories fielding a handful of very special (and mostly very evil) motorcycles, built and maintained by the cleverest engineers and ridden by the best riders but at least these riders raced a bit and on any given Sunday any of them could have won. In fact, any of them could have lived or died and the only procession would have been the one chasing the brolly-dollies in the bar afterwards.
Moto2, the new class that replaces the old 2-stroke 250cc class, attempts to change the old elitist way, replacing it with egalitarian equality. The big cheeses at the top of MotoGP may be anything but socialists but they’ve turned racing’s intermediate class into a fully-blown bona-fide communist experiment by distributing identical engines, tyres, electronics and slipper clutches to one and all. Yeah, some people will undoubtedly be more equal than others but you get the picture.
Consequently, the races were almost frightening to behold, with the lead changing at every corner, every straight and every braking point. To those accustomed to half-empty grids, processional power displays and the winner often determined before even testing took place, Moto2’s fishtailing rear ends, paint-swapping collisions, high-siding motorcycles and shaking fists must looked like some insanely brave cavalry charge: into the valley rode the 600s! Sadly, Tomizawa’s fatal accident can have come as little surprise to anyone watching the racing during the early part of the season. Man, they were going for it.
Many of MotoGP’s ‘purists’ are sceptical of Moto2’s merits. They believe this no-frills/big thrills class doesn’t hone rider talent in understanding how modern MotoGP motorcycles operate at the outer edges of adhesion, lean and power. Call me cynical and old-fashioned but perhaps instead of losing themselves in a confusing labyrinth of set-up, power-output, suspension and tyre options in a vain attempt to gain two-tenths of a second, riders may have to work on their riding to find the extra speed? The Kevins and Waynes of this world rode around their machines’ shortcomings. In recent history, the golden boys of the 125s – Pedrosa, Gorgeous George, Simoncelli – progressed to factory 250s on the gilded path to the elite class. Not anymore though. Now they’re going to be thrown into the lion’s den where they survival of the fittest is the name of the game and it’s every man for himself. Spare a thought for poor Bradley Smith though, don’t you just know he’s going to be the bullied ginga new-kid in the playground.
Superbly ilnuimlating data here, thanks!