Some Grand Prix races are really great, others thrilling, some are terrible, a few are boring if not downright soporific, but they can also be unpredictable. Then there are those that no one would ever want to see, and the Barcelona GP was one of them. Two crashes that sent shivers down the spines of riders and fans alike. With one consolation: the happy ending.
THE GOOD – We discovered that talking about fractures, injuries, and surgeries can sometimes be a relief. Seeing the photos that evening of Alex Marquez and Johann Zarco, bruised but smiling in a hospital bed, was the best possible outcome. Too often we forget how much and what these young men risk. Sometimes we criticize them, we underestimate them, but we should simply applaud them.
THE BAD – The riders must be the protagonists in every sense of MotoGP, but they must also be capable of taking responsibility. Lately, only Bagnaia, Marini and Miller have been doing so—the only ones attending Safety Commission meetings. Their predecessors built a valuable tool; it has remained an empty box. They need to decide to fill it.
THE UGLY – The show must go on, once, twice, even three times if necessary. Three restarts aren’t the ideal number; they seem like a relentless ordeal for the riders. It’s a short step from “Circus” to “circus”—in the worst sense of the word, of course.
DISAPPOINTMENT – By mid-afternoon he was on the podium; by evening, 13th: such is Mir’s downward spiral. His result deflated like his tyre, hundredths of a bar that robbed him of glory. For once, amidst the chaos, he’d managed to stay upright, but Joan was brought down by the rules. Never a moment’s joy.
CONFIRMATION – It was clear that it would be a lucky day for Di Giannantonio when he got back up (almost) unscathed from the impact with the front of Marquez’s bike. He won—something that hadn’t happened to him in a long time—he did it ahead of Valentino, his future boss, and he deserved it. Fabio had every right to smile.
MISTAKE – Five crashes in three days is an impressive track record, but those aren’t the mistakes for which Jorge Martin deserves a dressing-down. The shove against the blameless Paolo Bonora upon returning to the pits is a red-card offense. Frustration is one thing , adrenaline another, but you have to prove yourself a champion off the track as well.