After an adrenaline pumping MotoGP in 2016, the next season stands a gamble for five riders and a new motorcycle; who choose to do something different, expecting to make things work this time in contrast to what they failed to do with their previous machines
Freddie Almeida
For those motorheads who keenly watched the 2016 MotoGP season would have to accept that luck has been more prevalent on the circuits than ever before. Never in history of premier motorcycle racing have there been nine different winners who took podium.
But heading into 2017 it looks it wouldn’t be any different, as five of the biggest names in GP would be leaving their manufacturers and doing what it is leisurely said, ‘moving on’. The reason it wouldn’t look to be any different despite several interchanges of riders and machines, is the level of uncertainty of anyone taking the podium.
The first big leap that was announced early in the last season was 2015 champ Jorge Lorenzo. The number 99 rider made a decision after he was approached by Ducati that his time was up with the Japanese manufacturer. Lorenzo has earned three titles with Yamaha but it seems he would prefer to be draped in Ducati red next season, replacing Andrea Iannone from the Italian camp.
Yet all is not lost for Yamaha, as fans can take a breather, for another Spanish rider replaces the three time world champion. Maverick Vinales from Suzuki has signed a two year contract with Movistar Yamaha and share the locker room with the legendary, Valentino Rossi. The Spaniard was also named rookie of the season in 2015. It’s also surprising, Vinales has startling resemblance with Lorenzo, may be the Yamaha camp won’t miss him after all.
Back in 2015, Suzuki made a dramatic return after four years. But that wasn’t enough as it had to make a point that it had returned to stay and stay meant winning races. Vinales and Pol Espargaro rode Suzuki with great valiance, and frequently remained near the podium through both seasons. This explains how Vinales came up on Yamaha’s radar.
Suzuki made a return in 2015, but 2017 will see a new entrant, KTM. Setting up a camp in premier class racing, the Austrian manufacturer broke the ice of failing to make it to GP with its new machine the RC16. And abode the RC16 we will former Suzuki rider Pol Espargaro and the 26-yr-old English Bradley Smith, who leaves Tech3Yamaha.
Since KTM made footfall in Moto3 back in 2012, the manufacturer has taken the title four times. But GP was in its mind and what it lacked was a top end machine that could scream along with the Yamahas and Ducatis. Backed by Red Bull, specifications of the RC16 have not yet been publicised but it will be meeting all FIM standards.
As we see major changes and a new entry for 2017, there are two riders who have decided to leave GP and make headway into Superbike World Championship, Stefan Bradl and Eugene Laverty. For Bradl it was evident that MotoGP wasn’t working for him, maybe he required time or the right machine. From entering GP in 2015 with Yamaha and hopping onto Aprilia mid season, to finishing 16th in 2016, there were many questionable decisions made by the German.
Laverty too has nothing to boast about. His early years in 125cc and 250cc haven’t been close to outstanding nor did he ever make it to the podium, he hardly earned points. The Irishman wanted to make a mark and his performance didn’t permit him to do so. He gambled his way into GP with Honda in the 2015 stint, which yielded nothing and Ducati in 2016 wherein he finished 13th, still unlucky.
Alvaro Bautista too would be trying his luck elsewhere. He starts with Team Aspar powered by Ducati, as he exits after two years with Aprilia. Struggling with tyre choices and mechanical downfalls, 2016 left him pondering and Aprilia opened their doors for him. Without any doubt he should have his fingers crossed this time as he mounts another Italian machine which hasn’t put up an impressive show yet.
We had nine different blokes who took number one on the podium in 2016, it wasn’t very clear whether Marquez would be champ once again and The Doctor was not letting go. Rossi looks firm to take another shot at the title as Marquez will start as defending champ but with almost five changes between men and machine, 2017 looks to be a new start for many and who knows there could be a new face taking the title after all.
