Swipe at Liberty Media: Not Just MotoGP—Simoncelli Calls for Respect for Moto3 and Moto2

Paolo Simoncelli loud and clear: the commentary on the Jerez GP is an opportunity to remember the importance of Moto3 and Moto2 as well, not just MotoGP.

Liberty Media only entered the Motorcycle World Championship last year, yet the championship is already undergoing many changes, and there has been no shortage of controversy, doubts, but also food for thought regarding its history and what these changes are bringing. Paolo Simoncelli took advantage of his usual post-Grand Prix commentary to refocus attention on the situation in Moto3 and Moto2, which are increasingly overlooked compared to MotoGP, with even sensational gestures, as we have already seen. For example, the two classes were almost hidden at the San Marino GP, or the titles of these categories were ‘forgotten’ to celebrate only the premier class, before the correction that followed protests from the riders themselves. But there’s room for more as well, such as memories of Jerez, his riders’ progress, or the indefatigable Marco Grana, who will soon experience the joy of becoming the father of a baby boy. “We’re already waiting for him” is Simoncelli’s comment, along with congratulations to his crew chief and his fiancée Vanessa.

“Ever since Sic made us dream—and it happened twice on this circuit—Jerez has never been just any round. For us, it’s the round of the heart.” Simoncelli begins his statement this way, recalling the great results of the past achieved with Arbolino, Antonelli, and Suzuki, before moving on to his current boys. “Casey, after many years of racing here, finally managed to have fun. He showed that he needs to improve, yes, but that he has what it takes to do it,” he noted about O’Gorman, albeit with a few pointers for the race. “He needs to learn to be tougher. Rookies all have the same problem: they don’t understand that the race is long and it’s useless to keep overtaking, especially at the start.” He then raps Rammerstorfer on the knuckles: “Leo should stop always starting on the back foot. Races aren’t built on Sunday, but from the first session on Friday.” Even if unfortunately the race was over immediately—in fact, it didn’t even start. “Leo’s bike stalled on the grid. Technical problem, parts already shipped back to Honda and we’ll see who has to take responsibility.”

We mentioned it at the beginning, but it’s worth stressing. In the history of the World Championship (and even long before it began—motorcycle races certainly didn’t start in 1949) there have always been multiple categories, with their respective specialists or riders who managed to juggle several classes, even on the same race weekend, as it was allowed back then. Long before MotoGP there were the 50cc, the “shooting star” 80cc, the 125cc, the 250cc, the 350cc, the 500cc, the experimental Thunderbike Trophy and Formula 750, the sidecars... Paolo Simoncelli recalls it in his own way. “In the paddock, for the first time all the teams had a garage, no one was in tents. I can’t tell you whether that was due to their logistical needs or not. The point is that at a time when Moto2 and Moto3 are a nuisance and there’s talk of a new era, of a paddock split from MotoGP, this weekend was nice. Nice because it reminded the world that in the history of motorcycles, we’re here too.” A long and rich history, made of variety and great challenges, which can never be set aside for the sake of “modernity,” but must move forward in step, remembering the past so as not to distort the present and future of this historic championship.