‘Time for a US rider to shine’
Time was when Moto2 was of little use as a school for MotoGP. From its inception in 2010 until 2018, elite riders were condemned to a sort of glorified production racing, with better brakes.
The bikes were too similar, too clumsy, and too gutless. With portly obsolescent Honda 600 four engines, using road gearing designed for the traffic-light grand prix, they offered few quirks for a creative rider to exploit.
They sounded like vuvuzelas on speed, but the performance was more oxycontin. No wonder they followed one another round in a dispiriting parade.
There were exceptions. Well, one exception. 2012 champ Marc Marquez. To be fair, 2018 winner Bagnaia hasn’t done too shabbily.
Other champions, even the only double winner Zarco, haven’t done anything very special in MotoGP. Stefan Bradl, Pol Espargaro, Tito Rabat, Franco Morbidelli are respectable riders, sure. But no more than that.
The change came in 2019, when Triumph took over engine supply. An extra 75cc meant a torque boost with a sonorous exhaust note; adjustable gearing and higher level electronics followed. It was transformative.
Today we have Pedro Acosta, elbowing the establishment, already troubling the podium and threatening the big beasts.
What this means for the next guys remains to be seen.
Fermin Aldeguer is yet another fast-track Spaniard tipped for the big time, and with a Ducati contract in his pocket.
But it is the other candidate, American Joe Roberts, leading the championship, and ear-marked to join the US Trackhouse Aprilia MotoGP team next year.
Famous name apart (he’s no relation), Joe has had no springboard into the big-time, unlike those Spaniards. He is, by comparison, a self-motivated hard worker who has been plugging away on his own account since 2017, with until this season just three podiums (including one win) to show for it. Time to shine for another US rider? Yes please.
‘Triumph have transformed the series’