Agostini: “The bikes are too important and fast in MotoGP”

In recent years, MotoGP has undergone a curious evolution. With the stability of the regulations, the bikes have become increasingly competitive. This translates into much smaller gaps, but also in an increasing number of riders able to win. For example, Enea Bastianini beat factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia just last weekend, while riding a bike one year older.

According to the legend Giacomo Agostini, MotoGP is missing a point of reference. “I don’t think there is anything wrong with the show, but the audience needs a point of reference,” Agostini said in a conversation with Motorsport.com during the Assen Classic GP.

“Bagnaia wins, Bastianini wins, a rookie can win. There are several drivers who can win, but also be tenth the next race. Then people wonder who is really good. It’s too random. But the battles aren’t wrong. Today. We definitely have a lot of technology, everyone has access to the same material. I don’t think there are 23 Maradona, 23 Verstappen or 23 Muhammed Ali on the starting grid. You can see that everyone is in the space of a second, which is crazy. “

The pilot makes the difference less and less, observes Agostini. “Because there is a lot of technology, the bike becomes very important. If a little detail is missing from the bike, you can be a great champion but it won’t work. For others, it’s always easier to stay ahead of you. In my day, the movement of the wrist was very important, it was the pilot who commanded. Now the electronics take over immediately and no longer depends on the pilot. We have also seen that we have worked hard to get more and more power “.

Furthermore, the safety of the slopes is called into question by the increase in speeds. The Red Bull Ring in Austria, for example, has already been modified after a serious accident involving Johann Zarco and Franco Morbidelli in 2020. “We modify the engines: we have 290 HP but then we put a chicane on the track to take away the speed. Why do we invest a lot of money to find more power and speed and then put a chicane? On some circuits, the MotoGP bikes don’t even make it into sixth gear. Many circuits are still the same as in my day. There’s just more safety, more escape routes. But the track and the character are always the same. Before it was very beautiful. It’s a difficult problem to manage “.

The solution is simple, according to Agostini. “We have to give the riders more power. The show isn’t necessarily good because the engine has 300 hp. In my day we didn’t have 300 hp, but the show was good. Valentino Rossi didn’t have such powerful bikes in his career, but he did show. It’s a question of people, not a bike that fast. Whether you do 2’05 “or 2’10” laps, it doesn’t matter. You want to see a duel. The 200,000 people in the stands aren’t sitting with the stopwatch. ” .

“It is important to see the duel, otherwise the riders can’t put on a show. If we reduce the power a little, the bikes also become less dangerous. The riders have to brake hard enough to slow a 160 kilogram bike from 300km / h to normal speed. But in the event of an accident, the bike whizzes like a bullet. It is very dangerous. If you reduce power, you increase safety and the tire stays better. Who wins then? The best rider. That’s what we want. ” .

Sprint races will be stressful for mechanics and teams

After Valentino Rossi’s retirement, the MotoGP organization has to deal with a drop in ratings and interest. In recent weeks it has been announced that a sprint race will be held on Saturday afternoon every race weekend from next season. Agostini doesn’t think these are necessarily bad for MotoGP, but he thinks the other classes will come out crushed.

“I don’t know,” Agostini said with a sigh, answering the question about the introduction of sprint races. “Maybe it could become like Formula 1, but we already have three classes with Moto3 and Moto2. There are a lot of them. In my day, I raced several GPs in both 350cc and 500cc. But it was just riders who did more races. Now it’s the same bike that needs to be prepared for both races, Saturday and Sunday. “

Having already tried it on his skin, on the doubling of the races he added: “It was a maximum of 24 races a year. Now there are 42, which is really a lot. Not only for the riders, but above all for the teams and mechanics. We have to see what it will bring us, maybe it will be positive “.

Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team

Photo by: Dorna

MotoGP again needs a Verstappen or a Maradona

Before being present at Assen, Agostini was the guest of honor at Monza the previous weekend, where he was able to wave the checkered flag at the end of the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix. real lookouts. Think of Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen. In MotoGP, this aspect is a bit lacking now that Valentino Rossi has said goodbye.

“MotoGP is beautiful, the races are beautiful”, Agostini believes. “But we need a real star after Valentino’s retirement and Marc Marquez injuries. That’s what we’re waiting for now, the young riders who are coming to the top. Fans want to see riders doing things they can’t do alone. . People want to be surprised by what a driver does. “

“That’s what Max Verstappen does, who wins a lot and has become a hero. It happened with Maradona in football, with Eddy Merckx in cycling. I remember getting up in the middle of the night to watch the boxing matches of Cassius Clay (Muhammed Ali ). He was doing things that no one else could do and people want to see this. This is what we expect now in MotoGP. “

With Andrea Dovizioso retiring earlier this month, the changing of the guard is truly complete. Of the 2010 MotoGP grid, only Aleix Espargaro is still active. On the question of whether the new generation has what it takes to fill the void left by the “old” drivers, Agostini seemed optimistic

“We definitely have these guys with potential. Marc Marquez is back, he’s very aggressive and likes to entertain the public. He always runs strong and wants to make the spectators happy. But he also needs riders to compete with. A Bagnaia or a Quartararo. , Bastianini will also be there. Quartararo is already champion and is only now starting to fight with Bagnaia. If Marquez can join them, it will only be good for the championship. That’s what we are waiting for. “