Steve Parrish.....
What’s our Steve been up to then?
So then, who’s been watching BT Sport’s MotoGP coverage? Or have you been viewing highlights on ITV? I must say BT gets better with each broadcast. Their first one had issues, for sure, but it will keep improving and the level of coverage is impressive. I also think the MotoGP Tonight show is great. Motorcycling has been crying out for something like it for years and I think Craig Doyle is fantastic, we’re lucky to have him.
Things like commentary and so on will always be subjective, and you can never please everyone, but BT know they still have a lot to do – and they’re doing it. I hope more people subscribe and watch their efforts, although the ITV highlights show is also doing well and it’s great that everyone can see MotoGP. I’m not sure how many people can watch the full BT shows, though for us diehards it’s amazing to have hours on end covering everything, but for the casual viewer there’s ITV – everyone’s a winner.
Although the racing, while super interesting, hasn’t been as close or exciting as we’d hoped. It’s not Marc Marquez’s fault – he’s too bloody good. He’s like a motorcycling rally driver the way he slings it in and out of turns. The others must change their style to catch up, they have little choice really otherwise nobody’s ever going to touch him in the next five years.
What makes me crack up is the old fat journos who say you have to come from 250s to be a MotoGP racer. Well now it must be Moto2 as you need to back it in and spin it out. Things turn around, always. We’ve had at least four different styles backwards and forwards over 30 years as things change where people have had an advantage – and it’ll likely change when Bridgestone disappears. It’s always been the way, and Marc is just the newest to hit the scene.
However, what the hell was wrong with Jorge Lorenzo in Jerez? Or the rest of the year for that matter! To say he was too unfit in Spain was utterly bizarre, as he’s one of the fittest in the paddock. Somewhere along the line something is really wrong, it’s ludicrous if fitness has actually come into it. Something has got into his head, hasn’t it? With the greatest of respect to Rossi, and I love Valentino, there’s no way he should be beating Jorge. I was a little disappointed with Jorge; if things had been normal he would have been second to Marc and Pedrosa third. Dani could have been second had he not dicked about so much at the start. Rossi has undoubtedly changed his style, but I’m not sure any current generation rider, no matter how good they are, is going to be able to do what Marquez does – it’ll have to come from the next generation. Fair play to Rossi for trying to get under Marc’s skin by passing him a few times, but it just doesn’t work. Marquez has so much up his sleeve that nobody can touch him. I don’t think we’ve even seen what he’s capable of yet because nobody’s even slightly pushed him yet. Look how he dealt with Rossi in Qatar, while healing from a broken leg! He doesn’t even have to get a good start as he can work his way past everyone. He could win every race this year, and that’s scary…
I still think Lorenzo is the only one who could push him, but he needs sorting out. He hates the 2014 tyres, but for a couple of races he was on last year’s hoops and it didn’t work bar a fast qualifying time. It’s all a bit peculiar as he was Mr Clockwork, lap after lap, now he’s all over the place. He also needs an Oscar for the way he celebrated third place, what was that all about?
Anyway, who should replace Bridgestone? Some Chinese tyre would be funny I think, but Pirelli could be a choice as superbikes are only a couple of seconds off MotoGP already, and that’s with steel brakes. Actually, don’t get me started, steel brakes would instantly make racing better in GP, and save lots of money on arm pump operations, but that’s a row for another day. Anyway, I’m off to give JT a lift on Plummet Airways, ha ha!
Marc Marquez could win every race this year, and that’s a very scary thought!”