MotoGP’s first foray into the docuseries environment with its eight-part production, entitled Unlimited, largely ticks the boxes that it would have set out to do the moment the cameras starting rolling across the 2021 season.
More and more, we’re seeing these docuseries showcasing the inner workings of a sport, and it’s obvious that Drive to Survive’s success in attracting new casual Formula 1 fans has been the motivation behind the decision for motorcycle racing’s premier class.
Indeed, MotoGP has plenty of supporters here in the UK and across Europe, particularly in Spain and Italy, but many in this country would probably be described as ardent fans, rather than casuals that dip in and out.
AUSTIN, TEXAS – OCTOBER 02: (L-R) Fabio Quartararo of France and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team, Francesco Bagnaia of Italy and Ducati Lenovo Team and Marc Marquez of Spain and Repsol Honda Team celebrate at the end of the MotoGP qualifying practice during the MotoGP Of The Americas – Qualifying on October 02, 2021 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images)
This, then, is an attempt at making the sport more accessible and giving watchers a chance to see the background behind the riders, with many of them again surely only known by regular MotoGP viewers.
Unlimited manages to tell the stories of many of the key players in the 2021 season very well indeed, including on and off-track matters and giving extra context to the key headlines that happened over the course of the campaign.
It follows the 2021 season chronologically across its eight episodes, which are around 45 minutes in length each, and this makes it easy to track exactly what is going on, as each riders’ story develops over the year.
Certainly, there are plenty of plotlines to follow, too, with Marc Marquez’s recovery from injury, Maverick Vinales’ struggles at Yamaha, Valentino Rossi’s last year in the sport and Fabio Quartararo’s rise to becoming world champion among many more.
The best @MotoGP riders in the world like you’ve never seen them before.
The thrills. The challenges. The struggles.#MotoGPUnlimited, coming to Prime Video on 14 March 📺 pic.twitter.com/tnBoKpOfkg
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) February 16, 2022
It’s a series that does well to show the humane side of the riders, too, with them coming across as really genuinely sound people, and the decision to let them speak in their native tongues gives the series extra authenticity and detail, rather than had it made them all speak in English.
Certainly, it’s an enjoyable, watchable series and prior knowledge of MotoGP isn’t particularly needed, which is crucial to getting new eyes on the sport.
Overall, then, it’s a successful start for Unlimited, and hopefully viewing figures will increase with the 2022 season now underground.
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