The last two weeks valid for the 2022 MotoGP world championship have resulted in a real nightmare for the Japanese manufacturers, Honda and Yamaha above all. The latter, historical protagonists of the category born twenty years ago to replace the 500 class, almost entirely dominate the golden register of the drivers and constructors world titles, but in the Sachsenring and Assen races they set two negative records: while in Germany Honda was excluded from the points for the first time in 40 years, the same happened to Yamaha in the Netherlands, this time after 33 years. Two results that, especially in Assen, offered a valuable assist European and Italian houseswho obtained a special degree in the University of motorcycles.
As for the continental brands, the final classification of the Dutch GP has indeed seen one Top-7 consisting of only brands based in Europetherefore without the presence of Japanese school engines: a fact that interrupts a fast that even lasted 53 years old. The last time this happened is in fact attributable to a GP that today could no longer exist, namely that of Yugoslavia: on that occasion, there was a double scored by the British Norton by Godfrey Nash and the Italian Franco Trabalzini, followed by Linto by Steve Ellis. Following this, the ranking was also composed of other brands such as the British Matchless (4th and 6th), who shared the area immediately at the foot of the podium together with other riders riding the Linto and Norton, in a race characterized by one of Giacomo Agostini’s rare absences from the starting grid.
However, it was the winner of 15 world titles who gave birth to a particular all-blue record, equaled 50 years later in the last race in Assen: in 1972in fact, the pilot from Bergamo won the Grand Prix of Nations riding an MV Agusta, contributing to an all-Italian hat-trick both in terms of riders and motorcycle manufacturers: behind ‘Needle’in fact, compatriots Alberto Pagani and Bruno Spaggiari finished on the podium, respectively with MV Agusta and Ducati.
The tricolor party was finally completed by Paul Smart, of British nationality, but also on the bike from Borgo Panigale. Since then, no other GP has seen the first four positions conquered by Italian motorcyclesat least until the last race that took place in Assen, with two o’clock Ducati of Bagnaia and Bezzecchi followed by Aprilia of Viñales and Espargaro.
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