Amid openness and fears for MotoGP's future: Zarco fears the Liberty Media effect

Johann Zarco explains his point of view on the arrival of Liberty Media and the inevitable impact on the Motorcycle World Championship.

The official arrival of Liberty Media in MotoGP is drawing mixed reactions; in fact, it’s often possible to hear not-so-positive opinions. Johann Zarco, a keen observer, wanted to share his take: for the experienced LCR Honda rider, there could be good outcomes, but he also sees the flip side. It had already been said last year that there was a sudden tendency to “forget” Moto2 and Moto3, as well as their previous equivalents, namely 125cc and 250cc, and consequently various world titles and champions, before the stance on the subject was reversed. But among Zarco’s concerns is also the risk of excessive showmanship and the arrival of an audience that isn’t exactly passionate...

Moto2 and Moto3 considered even less: there have been episodes demonstrating this trend. Last year at Misano it caused quite a stir that riders and teams from the two classes were almost tucked away in a corner, in a much less prominent area compared to the premier class. We ask ourselves, where do the new talents come from if the smaller categories are overshadowed? This is a question posed by the writer, but apparently Johann Zarco wonders the same, having been very busy in January on Spanish tracks with several young Belgian and French riders. “For MotoGP riders, the arrival of Liberty Media could be a good thing. For those who have to climb up from below, it will be tough,” declared the two-time Moto2 champion in an interview with our colleagues at Paddock-GP. “Above all, it will significantly denigrate the other categories, because it’s MotoGP or nothing. It’s not easy, because to go fast on a bike you either have incredible talent or you have less, but with hard work you can make it.” What will the families of young prospects think? “I hope that, with the overall budget of all this, with the possible arrival of big sponsors, we can draw on it to reassure parents, to reassure people, to help young riders grow and prepare them better. Moto3 and Moto2 have been excellent preparation,” he emphasized.

MotoGP is changing, that’s already evident, and it will be something very different from what we know. “At a certain point, you have to abandon superstitions, the mindset of ‘Ah, if I do this, I lose concentration.’ You have to be open to the fact that we’re putting on a show,” Johann Zarco said on the matter. He admits, however, that “I don’t do it with great pleasure, but it’s part of the game. It’s true that sometimes Dorna asks a lot of us. Even within the team, they agree that sometimes it’s a bit excessive.” There’s also a comment on the entertainment angle they want to emphasize more: the name change from Dorna Sports to MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group is another detail. Consequently, they are also targeting a different audience. Zarco uses F1 as a comparison to explain his point of view. “It’s interesting to be open to new experiences, but when I sometimes see people filling the grandstands at F1 races, it saddens me,” he noted, then explaining why. “It’s great that they fill the grandstands in F1, but they don’t know the spectacle of MotoGP. F1 has managed to attract people simply because it seems trendy and cool. They come just to see that, and it saddens me a bit.”