The young warriors of MotoGP are here to stay.
MOTOGP: Brad Binder’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) stunning maiden MotoGP win at the Czech GP in Brno last Sunday (9 August) is further proof of just how bright the future of MotoGP is.
The results of the 2020 season so far are indeed proof of that.
21-year-old Petronas Yamaha SRT rider Fabio Quartararo dominated action at the Circutio de Jerez-Angel Nieto by claiming two pole positions and his first two premier class wins and leading the opening two heats at the top of the championship standings.
Team-mate Franco Morbidelli also had three extremely impressive laps in 2020 and the 25-year-old’s maiden premier-class podium at Brno was well-deserved after engine problems halted his podium finish at Jerez in Andalusia, Spain.
Overall, Yamaha’s future is a frighteningly exciting prospect – Quartararo, Morbidelli and Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) are all aged 25 or younger and will be at the forefront of MotoGP for years to come.
Binder’s performance last Sunday in the Czech Republic can only be described as absolutely fantastic. The 24-year-old South African gave KTM its first win in a MotoGP race in just his third MotoGP race.
Additionally, with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) at the helm, the Austrian factory is poised to fight for race wins from now on. Oliveira’s pace at the Czech GP was good enough for the podium, but a 13th place finish ultimately stopped the 25-year-old from celebrating with teammate Binder.
The list goes on. Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) would have been on his first MotoGP podium at Jerez had it not been for a mechanical problem and an unfortunate right leg injury that temporarily put his promising 2020 season on hold.
Bagnaia’s current team-mate Jack Miller is Ducati’s chosen man, who will hopefully bring the Ducati factory in Bologna their first world title since 2007. The Australian and Italian are 25 and respectively in MotoGP.
Team Suzuki Ecstar has two-time race winners Alex Rins and Joan Mir available for the next two years. Both Spaniards are in their early 20s and there’s every reason why the likes of Ducati have spoken to both Rins and Mir to try and get their signatures on lucrative works contracts.
Rins has already proven his ability to win races and seems ready to challenge for the title, with Joan Mir already claiming his equal-best MotoGP result in 2020. Suzuki’s future prospects look delicious.
There is a changing of the guard in MotoGP and there are more fast, young and hungry riders ready to make the step out of Moto2 very soon.
The likes of Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) will have his hands full when he returns from injury soon, but it will be fascinating to see this eight-time Spanish World Champion, as well as the likes of Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and veteran icon Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), battle the rising young stars and warriors of MotoGP in 2020 and for years to come.
This weekend the MotoGP paddock moves on to the first of two back-to-back races to be held at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria.
Like many F1 races this year, the races will be held without spectators at the circuit due to the preventive measures that have to be taken due to the COVID-19 coronavirus.
– Christopher Reeves, Alpha One Media