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Thinking badly becomes a sin, but sometimes you get it right. And the question we'd like to have an answer to is this: why didn't Dorna want to give KTM two more places on the grid?
The excuse put forward by Carmelo Ezpeleta is the (probably futile) possibility of a new entry among the manufacturers. But why? The OK could have been given for the next two years, pending the entry into force of the new regulations which could lead to BMW's entry in 2027. Even if it is completely unlikely as long as the Bavarian manufacturer will remain the 'Official Car' of MotoGP with excellent advertising at an advantageous price.
So, with a bit of lateral thinking the answer could be because with two more bikes for KTM there was the real probability - not just the possibility - that Marc Marquez would decide to leave Honda. At that point HRC would have found it almost impossible to continue with his commitment. With Mir who until recently had been offering himself around, without success and without a top rider.
It's not that this way the situation is any better: Honda, even more than Yamaha, will have to get out of its profound technical crisis to attract new riders, after its long contract with Marquez expires at the end of 2024.
Even the solution of bringing Iker Lecuona back to MotoGP is entirely insufficient because it leaves the Superbike team in search of a difficult replacement, but that's the situation: there's nothing better on the market now.
With this explanation, the tug of war between Dorna and KTM appears more understandable, but obviously the Spanish company will have to make some concessions to the Mattighofen manufacturer, one of which will probably be the increase in the number of wildcards from three to six a year.
After all, with the introduction of the Sprint race, which has done more damage than hailstorms since the beginning of the year, a long reserve bench is also becoming a necessity for the other manufacturers.
However, thanks to the new developments, MotoGP has become a totally different championship. With technical characteristics for the bikes that are specially prepared for the short race and different physical characteristics for the riders.
As if a middle-distance runner were asked to excel even in the sprint.
The importance of team preparation has increased enormously and at the same time what has always been a relatively long speed race, just a little over 100 km, has been transformed into two distinct races: one rewards the sprint, like in the 100 meters. In the second the consistency. With the pole position bonus that is worth double because it allows you to start from the pole in both events.
It’s a new reality that has annihilated in one fell swoop the media coverage of the fight for pole which today, on Saturday, is made out-of-date by the Sprint race. All this, even though its importance has doubled.
You get used to everything, mind you, and you can't even get too attached to old habits and customs, but there is no doubt that the current MotoGP is now an experiment in progress. Something not yet accomplished which, alas, does not attract the new generations and somehow disturbs the old ones with a jumble of rules applied or disregarded without logic.
It is important for all parties involved to remember that the public love characters, love and hate serial winners, and desperately need antagonists to identify with one or the other. They need to be able to cheer someone. Sport must show important values, to be shared, but it is not a 'let's all love each other'. On the contrary, it is a regulated and honest war. The opposite of politics, which is often dishonest. Let's remember that.
